quillwork, beadwork, paint

QUILLWORK, BEADWORK and PAINT

Reader One

QUILLWORK (a form of embroidery)

• Quills were used to decorate clothing, mocassins, bags, and baskets.
• Only certain women were trained to collect and decorate with quills.
• They got the quills by throwing a blanket over a porcupine and could then pick the quills out of the blanket. Let's look at some of these complicated designs.

Reader Two 

• Different sizes of quills were used for different types of embroidery.
• The quills were dyed different colors.
• After the quills were flattened then sewn to make designs.
• Quills were soaked in water to soften.

Reader Three

Birchbark baskets were decorated with quills. An awl was used to poke holes in the bark. Quills were placed in the holes to make designs.

Reader   

BEADWORK

• Glass beads replaced quills - the beads were brighter and easier to work with.
• Various tribes made different designs and used different colors.
• Beaded clothing and items were used for special occasions.

PAINTING

• bison robes, tipi covers, parfleches, and other objects of hide or skin were painted
• colors came from minerals, clay soils, berries and roots of plants
  • iron ore - reddish color
  • other minerals - green, blue, yellow, orange, purple
  • coal, charcoal, soot - black

Work on the Plains Crossword puzzle below.  When you finish, show to Mrs. Nordin or Mrs. Spencer.  When they approve you may close out and do one of the following.

Plains Crossword Puzzle click here

Done with the puzzle? 

Go to Checkout

Go to Type to Learn

Take an Acclerated reader test

or try this internet safety game