ABC Wednesday is once again here - the focus this week is Q.
This week I chose Q is for quills - as in porcupine quills.
Several years ago I took a Porcupine quill basketry course and created a small basket decorated with dyed porcupine quills. The result was lovely but I couldn't believe how long it actually took to make - 2 and a half days!
(The flower on top represents the trillium - Ontario's flower emblem.)It is quite an art to create with quills and with a bit of practice, quite fun.
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22 comments:
How fun! And what a great word for the Q day! Lovely baskets!
Enjoy, Beverly!
Sylvia
A great work of art - 2 and a half days doesn't sound bad - the lace my wife used to make took as many months or even years.
It looks very special - but how do you get the quills?
Its a lovely little basket. I would not have guessed what it was made of. Great Q post.
quite beautiful
WV: thing.
That came out beautiful! Lovely accomplishment :)
That is an amazing piece of handcraft. Beautiful work Bev.
This is an art I've never heard of. Surely you wore gloves! The end result is most attractive.
how interesting! and thanks for the information about artist trading cards. i'm having so much fun with them!
Well, it looks really nice even if (or thanks to) it took a long time to make.
Quite beautiful! It reminds me of marquetry though I'm sure that's probably easier and less time-consuming. Wonderful - I hope you're still pursuing this hobby?
Thanks everyone for stopping by!
I should have described the process more but wasn't sure how much would be wanted.
The native woman who led the course brought the quills - from road kill. She used denim laid over the procupine and this pulled the quills out (I have done this once - it works well) But you must leave a gift in return - usually tobacco.
The quills are soaked and you use them wet - they will set into the hole you punch with an awl.
I have only tried it once since - but would like to try again.
Beautiful baskets! What an amazing project...perfect "Q" post!
Wow - that's an impressive basket! Interesting information in your comment - amazing. When I was young, I had to hold my dog down while Dad cut the ends off the quills to let the air escape so they could be pulled from her face. She mostly ignored porcupines after that. Not nearly as much fun as basket making!
A lovely basket! I was wondering, too, where the quills came from--thanks for the explanation.
It's a great work of art, well done!
It looks great!wonderful work!
Wow - how interesting! Beautiful basket, but also good to know that no porcupine was hurt during the making of .. LOL!
And I'm glad to learn how to remove quills, too. Not that we have porcupines here, but we do travel in the US. If ever one of us gets 'quilled', we'll know to cut the end off them first, before tugging. And we'll send them to you. ;)
Did know you can make porcupine baskets. What id you do, put a target for the porcupine to show quills at you?
I note you are a grade 3 teacher, I was teaching grade 3 kids : targets, archer fish spitting at their targets.
I studied at Windsor Uni in 1975-77,
Are You near there?
Very interesting. I have seen American Indian artifacts with quills on them. Your basket is beautiful. Nice to know this art is still being practiced.
Sherry
How interesting to learn about the quills! I'm intrigued by your beautiful basket.
Having lived in the NWT for 3 years and getting to know the people there I loved all the native crafts.
Thanks for all your comments. I do appreciate your visiting!
Take care - one and all!
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