quillwork

(noun)

Decorative textile embellishment made from porcupine quills by certain Native Americans.

Related Terms

Examples of quillwork in the following topics:

  • Arts of the Great Plains

    • Great Plains Native Americans are well known for their buffalo hide paintings, quillwork, and elaborate beadwork.
    • Clothing made from buffalo hide was beautiful and elaborate, decorated with porcupine quill embroidery (using a traditional style known as porcupine quillwork), beads, and such prized materials as shells and elk teeth.
    • Porcupine quillwork was also used in creating bracelets, hatbands, belt buckles, headdresses, hair roaches, and hairclips.
    • Glass beads were first introduced to the Plains as early as 1700 and were used in decoration in a manner similar to quillwork, though they never fully replaced it.
    • Several award-winning quillworkers are active in the art world today, such as Juanita Growing Thunder Fogarty (Assiniboine-Sioux).