great lakes beadwork

4 posts

6 April 2015; Iroquois Needle Carrier

As the piece is displayed in the exhibit (see first photo in set) it appears to be a simple panel that is covered in beautiful beadwork. What remains unseen is that the piece is actually an imaginative tri-fold carrier for needles. This style of beadwork is common to that of […]

6 October 2014; Great Lakes Beadwork

The Natives of the Eastern Woodlands produced a number of gorgeous items. In the 19th century, around the Great Lakes – especially Niagara Falls, the tourist trade was filled with bags similar to the one featured above. There are some historians who even refer to this particular design pattern as […]

24 June 2013; Unique Great Lakes Pouch

Native crafts may not always appear as one may imagine. This unique pouch is just one example of an item made for the tourist trade. Originating in the Great Lakes Region, the pouch is comprised of six individual panels of leather. Fine beadwork helps hide the seams and adorns the […]

22 Oct 2012; Ojibwe Moccasins

Each tribe has its own design of moccasin; some have hard soles to deal with rocky ground while others have multiple layers of leather to help with colder weather. The beading adorning a moccasin is also indicative of which tribe created it. These moccasins are made by the Ojibwe (commonly […]