quillwork
Porcupine spine craft
Quillwork is decorative craftwork using porcupine or bird quills, particularly associated with Indigenous North American traditions.
The quills are softened, dyed, and stitched or woven onto leather, birchbark, or fabric in geometric or pictorial designs: The moccasins featured intricate quillwork along the vamps.
Before European contact introduced glass beads, quillwork was the primary embellishment technique across many tribes.
Barbed defensive rodent
- barbsSharp points or jibes
- spinesStiff, pointed projections
- bristlesCoarse animal hairs
- softenedMade less severe
flattened · dyed · natural · pigments · sinew · thread · birchbark · hide
Original regional inhabitant
- First NationsCanada's non-Inuit indigenous peoples
- PlainsNamed flat regions
- LakotaWestern Sioux people
- OjibweAlgonquian-speaking indigenous nation
Cree · Métis · tribal · ancestral · heritage · tradition · ceremonial · regalia
Strung ornament craft
- birchbarkWhite tree outer layer
- embroideryDecorative stitching on fabric
- stitchingJoining with needle, thread
- appliqueCutout sewn onto fabric
weaving · braiding · wrapping · folding · dyeing · sinew · rawhide · pattern
Soft leather slip-ons
- bagsFlexible carrying containers
- pouchesSmall flexible containers
- beltsWaist-cinching straps
- knife sheathsProtective casings for blades
cradleboards · boxes · containers · earrings · medallions · armbands · breastplates · headdresses
porcupine
Barbed defensive rodent
softened · flattened · dyed · natural · pigments · sinew · thread · birchbark · hide · leather
Native
Original regional inhabitant
- First NationsCanada's non-Inuit indigenous peoples
- PlainsNamed flat regions
- LakotaWestern Sioux people
Ojibwe · Cree · Métis · tribal · ancestral · heritage · tradition · ceremonial · regalia · moccasins
beadwork
Strung ornament craft
- birchbarkWhite tree outer layer
- embroideryDecorative stitching on fabric
- stitchingJoining with needle, thread
applique · weaving · braiding · wrapping · folding · dyeing · sinew · rawhide · pattern · geometric
moccasins
Soft leather slip-ons
knife sheaths · cradleboards · boxes · containers · earrings · medallions · armbands · breastplates · headdresses · clothing
ornamentation
Decorative additions to something
- adornmentDecorative addition or accessory
- embellishmentDecorative addition or exaggeration
- motifRecurring thematic element
inlay · trimming · geometric · rosette · starburst · zigzag · chevron · diamond · border · panel
quillworkbeadwork
Strung ornament craft
metalwork · embroidery · shellwork · leatherwork · featherwork
work, artwork, quill, needlework, quills, quilling, quilled, quill pen