How to Make an Ojibwe Beaded Coin Purse
An Ojibwe is a member of a specific tribe belonging to the indigenous peoples of the American continents. Only a member of this tribe can claim to make a tribal purse. However, a beading craft person can make an Ojibwe-style beaded purse that honors the traditions, techniques, motifs and aesthetic of authentic Ojibwe beaded works. The best way to start is by viewing examples of these purses in museums or in Ojibwe beading books. Keep your references available as you work on the purse.
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Things You'll Need
- Fabric coin purse
- Paper
- Pencil
- Markers
- Beading needles and thread
- Seed beads
- Scissors
Instructions
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Find a lined fabric coin purse. Place the coin purse over a piece of paper and trace out the shape of the purse. Trace both sides.
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2
Draw a simple floral shape on the paper in the center of the purse. Traditional Ojibwe coin purses were sewn onto commercially sold coin purses using stylized floral shapes. Ojibwe beaders favored following outlines of shapes, often using more than one color. Use a marker to outline one flower petal. Use a second color to outline inside your first outline. Return to your original color and outline inside the second outline. Fill in the flower using the same outline pattern.
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3
Repeat this design technique for each petal, leaf, stem or other shape. Either the outside line or the second outline should be a different color from the main color of the object.
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4
Transfer your design to your purse using tailor's chalk. Remove the lining of the coin purse, usually you can reattach it later to cover your beading stitches. Outline each flower petal first with beads.
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Use a two needle method. Bring your bead needle up on the flower petal line. Load the needle with beads. Bring your second needle up between the first and second bead. Cross the needle over the bead needle thread. Take your sewing needle back into the fabric and bring it up between the second and third bead. You will sew down the thread between each bead. Keep your beads tight to each other as you sew. Bead your entire floral pattern.
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Bead your background. Most Ojibwe backgrounds are a single color. Start from the outside edge or seam of the purse. Bead rows of four to six beads perpendicular to the edge of the purse. Bead all the way around the outside edge. Bead and sew inside the edge beads as if the edge beads are an outline. This will often form an oval ring pattern. Bead from the outside edge to the flower maintaining the oval ring or outline with all of the background beads.
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Design and bead a flower motif on the second side of the purse following the same techniques used above. Use the same color palette. Finish the bottom edge of the purse using 12 bead loops. Use one beading needle and thread. Take on 12 beads in the colors of the purse. Form a loop. Take the needle back through the fabric and out for the next loop. Insert the lining fabric and sew or glue the liner in place to hide your inside bead work.
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Tips & Warnings
It is illegal to claim your purse is Ojibwe (except in style) unless you are a member of the tribe.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images
