10. My Outfit
I started beading in summer 1995. It was the time, when everyone had those beaded bracelets.
I found out that this technique was quite simple. But I wanted more. I was searching for original designs. That was more difficult, since the usual designs of those bracelets were names or hearts or stuff like that.
In November 1995 I went to an exhibition about Native American culture. I met a man, who opened up a shop with books and accessories you need for beading and other handicraft. There I found what I was searching for. And besides original designs I learned about the other beading techniques like the lane stitch.
After a few experiments and my first try in lane stitch, I was asked by a friend in 1996, to help beading his traditional outfit.
While I was working, I decided to create an outfit for myself. But I didn't want to make a full-beaded yoke. So I started in 1997 with this simple look.
Then, a half year later, I visited a friend in the United States. Together we went to a Pow Wow in Oklahoma. It was great. That was the moment when I changed my mind and started redesigning the yoke.
What was a challenging task was the fact that I had to encorporate the existing design into the new one.
After I came back home, I started to work very hard. It took me another 18 months to finish it.
