0. Preword

Beading Moccasins

by

Terri Meyette

I breathe into me the smell of deer hide. I send a prayer to the hunter and deer spirit.	In solitude I sit bead the beauty of many grandmothers gone past.
I feel the soft skin brings back memories of elk hides wrapped around my body in winter.	Respect comes when I look upon the beauty complete
In stillness around an around gifted hands go needle sticks and blood drops silently into deer skin making us one again.	Love shines radiant when I give them away My heart smiles.
The voice of wisdom gives to me lessons of the old ways not spoken today.	Sitting cross legged on my woven blanket I burn herbs purifying the space. In silence the making of moccasins begins.

 

When I started beadworking, I read this poem for the first time. But at that time I couldn't take the meaning. Today, after 30 months of hard work creating my Traditional Dance Outfit and a few more years studying several tribes and their designs, I understand completely.

Although I don't have the "memories of the old times", but I have the memories of those things that happened during my time working on the outfit.
Sometimes I look at a part of the beadwork and remember exactly what happened when I did that part.

The outfit became a part of me.
The Native Americans have a saying: "when you create something with your own hands, it gets a part of your spirit, it becomes alive".

Beadwork is a wonderful hobby. It is relaxing, if you take the time. To do a sloppy job won't bring the result you want to have. But the best is, after you have learned the essential things, there are no limitations.

I hope I made you curious and wish you good luck with your projects.

Here is another phrase, a friend found on the internet.
I don't know the source, otherwise it would be stated here:

A person who works with their hands is a laborer.
A person who works with their hands and their brain is a craftsman.
A person who works with their brain and their heart is an artist.

If you have any questions about beadwork, or suggestions regarding the website, just contact me!

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