QUILLWORK, BEADWORK and PAINT

QUILLWORK (a form of embroidery)

• Quills were used to decorate clothing, mocassins, bags, and baskets.
• Only certain women were trained to collect and decorate with quills.
• They got the quills by throwing a blanket over a porcupine and could then pick the quills out of the blanket.
• Different sizes of quills were used for different types of embroidery.
• The quills were dyed different colors.
• After the quills were flattened then sewn to make designs.
• Quills were soaked in water to soften.
• Birchbark baskets were decorated with quills. An awl was used to poke holes in the bark. Quills were placed in the holes to make designs.

BEADWORK

• Glass beads replaced quills - the beads were brighter and easier to work with.
• Various tribes made different designs and used different colors.
• Beaded clothing and items were used for special occasions.

PAINTING

• bison robes, tipi covers, parfleches, and other objects of hide or skin were painted
• colors came from minerals, clay soils, berries and roots of plants
  • iron ore - reddish color
  • other minerals - green, blue, yellow, orange, purple
  • coal, charcoal, soot - black

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credits for graphics and information

J.Giannetta, June 2002
(updated July 2011)

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