Made of porcupine quills, birch bark and sweetgrass, these baskets are based on a centuries-old tradition of decorating clothing with quillwork. ... Today, only a handful of porcupine quill workers carry on the tradition of this intricate art form.
What is Native American quilling?
Quillwork is an art form unique to Native Americans. It was practiced for hundreds of years before the arrival of Euro-Americans on the Great Plains. During the 18th and 19th centuries quilling arts reached one of their highest levels of development. Quillwork was used to decorate shirts, moccasins, and jewelry.Dec 17, 2018
How do you make a quill basket?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy-cimYIWgc
Why did Native Americans use porcupine quills?
Before European traders introduced glass beads, indigenous communities across North America used brightly colored porcupine quills for decorating surfaces of clothing and utilitarian objects. ... The porcupine uses its quills as a defense mechanism.
What can you make out of porcupine quills?
Use of Porcupine Quillwork Quills were folded, twisted, wrapped, plaited and sewn using a wide range of techniques to decorate articles of clothing, bags, knife sheaths, baskets, wooden handles and pipe stems. Quillwork has been, and continues to be used to decorate the basketry of various Native American tribes.Sep 20, 2021
How do you quill a birch bark?
Insert one end of the quill through one hole from the top (decorated side) through to the underside of the bark. Use your fingers, tweezers, or pliers to pull the quill through the hole so that about ¼ inch is left visible on the bottom side.