Birchbark Basket (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
East Coast and Plains tribes used porcupine quills to decorate a wide variety of items ranging from clothing to basketry. Native Americans obtained quills by striking the live animal with rough, wet material, which would catch the quills released bythe porcupine - a process causing no harm to animal or human. The quillworker washed the quills to remove oil, and then etched the quills in a solution to prepare them for dyeing. The quillworker softened the quills by keeping them in her mouth and flattened the quills by pulling each one through her teeth.
When applying quills to textiles or leather, one end of the quill was tucked under thread stitched into the base material, then bent over the thread to hide the stitch. This step was repeated and the pattern became more complex as additional quills were used, but no holes or stitches would be visible in the completed quillwork strip. The strip was then attached to a shirt and could be later removed if the shirt was damaged. Quillworking in clothing and accessories flourished among Native Americans until the mid 19th century when glass beads became easily attainable through trade with Europeans.
When decorating birch bark containers, quillworkers among Great Lakes and East Coast tribes prepared quills a fashion similar to the Plains tribes, but inserted dyed and natural quills directly into the bark to produce a variety of colors and patterns. The production of decorated birch bark baskets declined by the 20th century due to a depletion of white birch trees.
When applying quills to textiles or leather, one end of the quill was tucked under thread stitched into the base material, then bent over the thread to hide the stitch. This step was repeated and the pattern became more complex as additional quills were used, but no holes or stitches would be visible in the completed quillwork strip. The strip was then attached to a shirt and could be later removed if the shirt was damaged. Quillworking in clothing and accessories flourished among Native Americans until the mid 19th century when glass beads became easily attainable through trade with Europeans.
When decorating birch bark containers, quillworkers among Great Lakes and East Coast tribes prepared quills a fashion similar to the Plains tribes, but inserted dyed and natural quills directly into the bark to produce a variety of colors and patterns. The production of decorated birch bark baskets declined by the 20th century due to a depletion of white birch trees.
From the Robert and Nancy Nooter Collection, Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Endowment
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