Stitching & Sewing

Fort Berthold Reservation

The shape, style, and decoration of tobacco bags vary greatly. Sometimes referred to as pipe bags, they were carried by both men and women. Men’s bags tended to be large enough to hold both tobacco and pipe, while women’s were generally smaller in size. Long porcupine-covered fringe was a common decorative feature on Plains bags.

Representative images of people and animals became commonly beaded motifs after 1890 when most Indigenous people had moved onto reservations or were incorporated into more European lifeways.

Gift of Forrest Bratley

Virtually all parts of a bison were utilized in some form or fashion, including the bladder, intestines and hides from unborn calves. Sometimes referred to as a woman’s work bag, these containers held supplies for handiwork. This bag was for carrying dyed, porcupine quills that would be applied to a garment or object. Quillworkers found the toughness of bladder skin idea for holding sharp quills.

The use of porcupine quills to adorn material culture items such as bags and clothing goes back thousands of years. However, the introduction of commercial dyes in the mid-to-late 19^th century allowed newer and more vibrant colors.

Also referred to as “fire bags,” Octopus bags derive their name from the eight drops that extend below the pocketed square top. The construction of these bags is believed to go back to the late 1500s and were used for carrying pipes, tinder, tobacco, and powder shot.

Artists have always incorporated motifs into their work that held meaning or reflected the world in which they resided. Today is no different. Rather than limit their designs to abstract or geometric forms, artists have incorporated modern imagery into their designs.

Joe Grandee Collection

Story telling through pictographic renderings was, and still is, a common design element used by tribes throughout North America. By the late 1800s, bead workers had perfected the application to an art form, as illustrated by several pieces in this gallery.

Joe Grandee Collection

Cornhusk bags were originally used to store edible roots or personal items. Design patterns on early bags were limited to subtle differences in the brown tones of the corn husks or twine. With the introduction of commercial yarn, designs became more complex, complimented by a broader and bolder color palette.

These bags are also referred to as tipi bags or storage bags. Women made possible bags to carry personal belongings when moving camp. They were usually made as a pair, or matched set, and hung on each side of the saddle for good balance. The bags were also hung inside the tipi as storage receptacles. The term possible bag came from the translation of a Native word meaning “a bag for every possible thing.”