© 1994 - Tara Prindle
unless otherwise cited.
Porcupine Quillwork is perhaps the oldest form of Native American embroidery, and continues to be a widespread form of decoration for Great Lakes and Plains peoples living within the natural northern range of the porcupine. The quills are folded, twisted, wrapped, plaited and sewn using a wide range of techniques to embellish articles of clothing, bags, knifesheaths, baskets, and wooden handles and pipe stems.
Native Americans in 17th century New England were long familiar with quill embroidery, they used porcupine quills to decorate their clothing and accessories, and to decorate containers of birchbark as well. European accounts from the 1600's refer to several dye colors (black, blue, red and yellow for examples) for porcupine quills embroidered on baskets, bags and mats.
The images of dyed porcupine quills, and the dyed quills in the her kitchen,
You can see more of Nancy's beautiful quillwork on her personal pages Ancient Artways Studio.
The descriptions of the plants & trees are adapted from two sources: "Magic and Medicine of Plants, A Practical Guide to the Science, History, Folklore, and Everyday Uses of Medicinal Plants" (Reader's Digest Association, Pleasantville, New York), and The Audubon Society Pocket Guides' "Familiar Trees of North America, Eastern Region" (1986 by Alfred A. Knopf, New York).
are compliments of Nancy Fonicello, who contributed the much of the material in
NativeTech's section on Native American Porcupine Quillwork.
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Text and Graphics
© 1994 - Tara Prindle unless otherwise cited. |