Shirt

For quillwork, when quills are removed from the animal they are dyed and flattened, then wrapped or sewn into clothing, footwear, baskets, bags and ornaments. The panels of beadwork on this shirt are loom work. Panel work could be transferred from one jacket to another as a person grew or the jacket wore out.

Buckskin shirt with quill work and fringe. The shirt has a short standing collar, long cuffed sleeves and partial centre opening with hook and eye closures. On the front is a deep ‘U’ shape around the neck in light blue fabric and white beads. There are rectangular panels of fine quill work with meander and geometric motifs around the centre opening, shoulders and cuffs. There is also quill work on the tops of the fringe pieces. The fringe is around the upper back, shoulders and front ‘U’ shape. The inside is unlined.