{"id":1651,"date":"2015-09-28T13:43:31","date_gmt":"2015-09-28T13:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"\/site\/?p=1651"},"modified":"2024-10-29T11:09:46","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T11:09:46","slug":"quillwork","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crazycrow.com\/site\/quillwork\/","title":{"rendered":"Porcupine Quillwork Craft Focus"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Craft Focus: Porcupine Quillwork<\/h1>\n

Oldest Form of Embroidery used by Native Americans<\/h2>\n

By Crazy Crow Trading Post ~ September, 2012<\/h3>\n<\/div>

Porcupine Quillwork<\/h1>\n

Oldest Form of Native Americans Embroidery<\/h2>\n

By Crazy Crow Trading Post ~ September, 2012<\/h3>\n<\/div>
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Uses of Porcupine Quillwork<\/h2>\n

Porcupine quillwork is perhaps the oldest form of embroidery used by Native Americans. 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. This quillwork has been and continues to be used to decorate the basketry of various Native American tribes.<\/p>\n

As an artform, porcupine quillwork is completely unique to the Native Americans of North Americans. Quillwork was a major decorative element used by the peoples who inhabited the natural habitat of the porcupine before glass beads were introduced by European traders [1}. These habitats included the Subarctic, Northeastern Woodlands, and Northern Plains. The use of quills in designs ranges from Maine to Alaska. [2] Tools used for quillworking were discovered in Alberta, Canada, dating back to the 6th century CE.[3]<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Craft<\/a><\/span><\/div>

Credit Above Photo: Daderot<\/a>, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Kainai Shirt early 1900s Glenbow_Museum.\/h3><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Cheyenne oral history, as told by Picking Bones Woman to George Bird Grinnell, says that the art of \u201cquilling\u201d came to their tribe from a man who married a woman, who hid her true identity as a buffalo. His son was also a buffalo. The man visited his wife and son in their buffalo home, and, while among the buffalo, the man learned the art of quilling, which he shared with the women of his tribe.[4]<\/p>\n

Joining the Cheyenne Quilling Society was a prestigious honor for Cheyenne women. Upon entering the Society, women would work first on quilling moccasins, then cradleboards, rosettes for men’s shirts an tipis, and ultimately, hide robes and backrests.[5]<\/p>\n

The Blackfoot tribe in the Northwest also placed considerable significance on women who did quillwork. For the Blackfoot this included a religious purpose such as wearing special face paint. This paint consisted of a yellow ochre and animal fat mixed in the palm of the hand which would then make a ‘V’ marking across their forehead to the nose. This was meant to protect the women who was participating in quillwork and was always done before beginning that work. Red paint would then be used to draw a vertical line from the bridge of the nose to the forehead to resemble the foot of a crow. As another form of protection, they would wear sacred necklaces each time they did quillwork.[6] When a woman got older and could not her craft she would take a younger woman as an initiate, usually a relative, in order to pass the craft on. Being a woman who made quillwork in the Blackfoot tribe held major importance as the few women who did quillwork would choose who would become the next assume the craft of quillwork. A new initiate would be expected to craft a moccasin and place it on top of a hill as a form of offering to the sun.[7]<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Quillwork also held a religious significance among the Arapaho and Odawa as their works would represent sacred beings and connections to nature. Colors and shapes also had unique meanings allowing for diverse and unique designs carrying many cultural or religious meanings.[8] The Odawa tribe in particular used many of the same colors as the Blackfoot tribe with the addition of white, yellow, purple, and gold.[9]<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Santee<\/a><\/span><\/div>

Credit Above Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/a>, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Santee Sioux Moccasin ca. 1890, Portland Art Museum<\/h3>\n<\/div>

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Porcupine quillwork was used to decorate a variety of Native American items, both for ceremonial use and including those of daily usage to Native American men and women. These include clothing such as coats and moccasins, accessories such as bags and belts, furniture attachments such as a cradle cover, and rawhide and tanned hides. During the 19th century, quilled birch bark boxes became a popular trade item that was sold to European-Americans among Eastern and Great Lakes tribes. [10]<\/p>\n

Beadwork Replaces Quillwork<\/h2>\n

Porcupine quills were used for decorative work as mentioned above until approximately 1850 when the trade and application of glass beads replaced quills as the decoration of choice. This transition was made easier because: (1) Tiny glass beads allowed use of the same designs used in quillwork; (2) More colors were available; (3) Quills no longer had to be acquired, washed, sorted, and dyed before work could begin. While quillwork is beautiful, unique, and usually very well done, there were limitations to the colors and designs which could be applied.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Pulling, Cleaning & Dying Porcupine Quills<\/h2>\n

A porcupine quill is just a large ‘hair’ with a hard, shiny shell and a pithy, soft interior. A grown porcupine has quills and hair of different shapes and sizes. The flexible, slender ‘guard hairs’ can measure almost a foot in length and are used for hair ‘roaches\u2019, the most popular headdress worn by male pow wow dancers today . Quills used for embroidery, loomwork, or wrapping range from 4″ quills on the porcupines back to 1\/2″ quills around the head and flanks of the animal. Most quills are 2 1\/2 to 3 inches long.[11]<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Cree-M\u00e9tis<\/a><\/span><\/div>

Credit Above Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/a>, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cree-M\u00e9tis Panel Bag ca 1840 Metropolitan Museum of Art.<\/h3>\n<\/div>

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Sorting is based on types of quillwork to be done: (1) large quills, mostly from the tail, are used for filling large areas in designs and wrapping handles of, for example, pipe stems; (2) medium sized quills, mostly from the porcupine’s back, are used for such things as loom work; (3) fine quills, usually from the neck, and often nearly transparent, are used for embroidery; (4) really thin quills, from near the belly are used for delicate lines, etc. in designs. [12]<\/p>\n

Carefully pull the hair and quills with bare hands. Leather or rubber gloves can be used but they tend to catch on the barbed quills. Do not use pliers as they can damage the quills, resulting in problems later with the dying process. Note that quills come out more easily if a porcupine carcass is left \u2018out\u2019 for a couple of days (less in sweltering heat). This is not a job with the most pleasing aroma!<\/p>\n

Long guard hairs are pulled first. Try not to pull the underfur out with the quills. To clean the plucked quills, remove any fur or debris, and soak the quills in hot soapy water. Rinse, and repeat until the quills are a nice bright white color. This should remove the oils from the quills, making dying much easier. It may be necessary to soak quills that are especially \u2018dirty\u2019 for a few minutes in a very mild solution of water and bleach. Keep in mind that bleach may damage the quills, making them brittle and susceptible to cracks. After you complete the cleaning process, spread the quills out to dry.[13]<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Dyeing Quills<\/h2>\n

Quills readily take dye, which originally was derived from local plants that included a wide spectrum of colors, with black, yellow, and red being the most common. By the 19th century, commercial aniline dyes were available through trade, increasingly replacing natural dyes. Today, these dyes are easily obtainable and even easier to use. While this may be true due to convenience, the quality of an infinite number of natural dyes traditionally used by Native Americans is still an option for those willing to learn and use them. The vibrant and varied colors of quills produced using natural dyes are still highly desired today, but their recipes are known to a very few. Simply knowing the ingredients used to produce a color is not enough, as many dye recipes required the specifics of times and temperatures or the addition of an ingredient at just the right moment.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Sioux<\/a><\/span><\/div>

Credit Above Photo: Photographed by Pierre Fabre Tobacco Bag Pierre L. Fabre collection, 2006<\/a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Sioux Quilled Tobacco Bag ca 1900.<\/h3>\n<\/div>

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Colors and some Natural Dye ingredients:<\/p>\n<\/div>