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Native American counted cross stitch - symbolism With tradition

By: Julia Wigham

Native American counted cross stitch designs are popular in the United States and around the world. The patterns are of Native American people, of many different tribes, and animals. Many different traditions and objects of spirituality are portrayed.

The themes represented in the patterns reflect the power and the legend that the indigenous people of North America feel towards animals and plants. Other ideas like bravery, generosity and honesty are also represented as themes in the motifs.

Some of the animals seen as a totem would be the bear, cougar, raven, wolf, eagle, or the white buffalo, one of the most sacred animals to Native Americans. All of these animals, as well others, can be found in Native American counted cross stitch designs. You will also find other sacred possessions such as eagle feathers, used in headdresses in many tribes.

We must not forget the peace pipe, smoked in spiritual ceremonies whilst saying a prayer to the four cardinal points, North, South, East and West, coloured divisions of the circular Medicine Wheel. In fact many cross stitch designs of this genre are based on the circle, representing the sacred hoop or cycle of life, reminding us that as one life ends another begins.

Other ceremonies include dances, such as the Sun Dance, whilst dressed in traditional regalia, much of which was decorated with stitchery or beadwork. For over a century the Seminoles of Florida have used patchwork to make cotton garments, first to wear themselves and later to sell to tourists. The tiniest scraps of fabric were able to be used in this manner. You may see a Seminole border on a Native American cross stitch pattern.

Other items used to adorn regalia were beads carved from bone, hooves, horn, turtle shells, and wood. These would be used both on common and ritual items. Regalia would also include teeth and dyed, flattened porcupine quills used for necklaces, chokers, or breastplates.

When the traders began arriving in the 1800s, Native Americans switched to using larger glass beads that they called "pony beads" because of the trader's horses. In the 1840s, the peyote stitch began to be used with smaller beads in multiple colors. Many Native American counted cross stitch designs use seed beads in the patterns based on the traditional use of beading.

Article Source: Main Articles

Julia Wigham is an experienced writer and co-owner of Patterns Patch cross stitch forums. An online cross stitch community whose members get free: patterns, articles and tutorials. Come to our lively => cross stitch blogs right now.

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