The first thing that comes to mind for many people when they think of American Indian crafts is beadwork. Although glass beads were not available until they were imported by Europeans as a trade item they quickly became a traditional form of embellishment for a variety of everyday items and ceremonial objects. There are distinctive types of beadwork from different regions of the country, and subtle differences of style from different tribes within each region. Beads can be applied to fabric or hide in different ways, most of which are variations of sewing techniques. A common form is called the ìlazy stitchî, (although there is nothing lazy about doing it!), in which the beads are sewn in even rows with different color combinations used to create geometric designs. Beads can also be ìcontour stitchedî in which the rows of beads are sewed in curvilinear patterns with varying numbers of beads used to fill spaces and create curved designs such as flowers. Beads can also be stitched together into tubular strips which are used finish the edges of designs and to cover the handles of rattles or the stems of pipes. Unique to the Northeastern United States is ìraisedî beadwork, a technique which creates dimensional designs which rise up from the surface of the fabric.

At The Indian Craft Shop most beaded items are from the Northern and Southern Plains, with work as well as from other areas including the Northeast, Alaska, and the Southwest. Prices range from under $20 to over $1000. Please contact the shop for our current selection or special requests. For further reading on beadwork, see the ìPublicationsî section for available books!

Prior to the introduction of glass beads as an European trade item, tribes in many parts of the country used porcupine quills to decorate clothing and everyday items. Made soft by soaking, the individual quills are then trimmed and flattened, and sewn or plaited in a variety of ways to create smooth even rows. A variety of colors obtained from dyes allowed a wide range of designs to be produced. As small glass beads became a common item they quickly supplanted the use of quills in most areas. With no preparation required, beads were a much more efficient way to provide decoration. Although greatly diminished, quillwork did not vanish completely, and there are many artists today reviving this art form. Mostly from tribes living on the Great Plains, there are many beautifully quilled items available to include moccasins, medicine bags and pipe bags, hair ornaments, key rings, jewelry and many other accessories. One of the most popular is the medicine wheel, a rou d shape with four directional bars inside the circle. It is covered with plaited quills which are dyed in either the traditional directional colors or in a variety of colors. Please contact The Indian Craft Shop for its current selection of quillwork. For further reading, see the ìPublicationsî section for available books!