AMERICAN MUSEUM GUIDE LEAFLETS 

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Fig. 9. Technique of Quillwork. 
(a) In this technique, the quills are laid on in rows or bands. Designs are worked 
out by changing the color of the quills. The ends of the quills on the lower edge of a 
band are held in place by a string of sinew, or thread, a, running across the surface 
of the leather to be decorated, with another thread, b, going in the same direction but 
passing under the first thread through the surface of the leather, back over the first 
thread and under itself, thus forming a loop between each quill. The thread holding 
the upper end of the quills in place, is threaded through the surface of the leather in an 
oblique direction, from left to right (assuming that the work is started from the right 
hand side) crossing under itself on to the next space between the quills. This is 
practically the same stitch as that employed for the lower edge, omitting thread a. 
(b) In this process the surface is similar to that for a but the stitch is simple. 
The thread is passed through the leather and back again between each quill. . 
(c) Warp threads are strung on a weaving bow; the quills are flattened and 
passed through the weft, like a ribbon. When the wefts are driven down close, all 
threads are concealed. 
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