CAS TOPICS > The Leather Shop

Show Us Your BEAD WORK, Pards

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Marshal Will Wingam:
Thanks for the link and photos, Mo. The beads really go good with all that fringe.  8)

CraigC:
If I can ever get caught up on holster orders, I'm gonna dive head first into the beadwork. I've done a couple practice pieces but have no finished work. Gotta crap-ton of beads and books.

ChuckBurrows:
A buffalo hunter's sheath with Cheyenne style beadwork


A pipe bag and pipe tamper with early (pre-1850] Cheyenne style beadwork

top of the pipe bag


a couple of gun cases and a sling with Crow style beadwork





A strike-a-light pouch copied from a Kiowa original


A close copy of an original Cheyenne quiver and bow case


A tomahawk drop or sometimes called flag - one side Cheyenne style geometric work - other side floral Metis style



A "medicine" bag for a friend - the pouch shape and some of the beadwork is copied directly from a Cheyenne  original -  I added several other bits and pieces of beadwork from other original Cheyenne pieces of the same era (1850's)
   

   

and sometimes less is more - a simple skipped bead outline motif on the sheath


I use 8/0 pound beads for most of my work which is most often pre-1860. Some beads are originals from the 19th Century while others are new old style stock from Crazy Crow. All beadwork is sewn directly onto the leather - either real braintan or the German tan from Crazy Crow - or wool trade cloth. Stitches used most are the Cheyenne style lane stitch (formerly lazy stitch) and the embroidery/applique stitch for floral or certain tribal styles such as Crow or Blackfoot. Crow work will often use 3 different stitches for different areas/effects.
For thread I use:
1) real sinew - elk or buffalo preferred, but deer will work
2) narrow imitation sinew - split in two
3) Cotton covered poly thread
4) Silk thread - my favorite and what I use on high end bench copies. I use fishing pole binding silk thread.


Along with the tutorial noted above see:
www.nativetech.org under glass beads http://www.nativetech.org/glasbead/glasbead.html
Also WIlliam Orchard's book - Beads and beadwork of the American Indians : a study based on specimens in the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation - is available for free download here:
https://archive.org/details/beadsbeadworkofa00orch

My best suggestion for learning is to pick a particular tribal style or two and copy the originals as close as possible. Once you're comfortable doing that working on coming up with your own patterns based on those styles. Generally the various tribal styles are post-1860 and are seldom if ever mixed - keep to one style until you're really familiar with the differences and how they may mix under certain circumstances.

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Blair:
Chuck,

The art work... I just can't say enough!
Thanks for sharing.
My best,
 Blair

Camano Ridge:
Chuck, thanks for the how to info. Great looking bead work.

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