new quill work thread...

10-18-2003, 11:06 AM

eventually i will post a new quill work introduction on here ...its just gonna take some time here...maybe becasue theres so many ways to do quill work i should start something simple...when i first started when i was little i learned wrapping....the intro for wrapping i'll start pictures next week and display it next week sometime....i never did a intro before....one thing is i'm still trying to learn looming quills...so i hope yall can hold n until next week before i start this intro ...becca

10-18-2003, 11:27 AM

note** : Also there will be a intro discussion on dyeing quills...normally i use commercial dye...i know its not traditional to use commercial dye *grinz* but hay i'm a college student *lol*
But you could always go route of buying already dyed quills...cheapest i found is crazy crow..later on next week i'll let you know how much to use for what..

To prepare for dyeing quills:
discard all hairs but save them for any use later...i rinse them off and let them air dry...

To store them: i use canning jars
-becca

**spottedeagle** · 10-19-2003, 08:50 AM

Thanks Becca!!!! I look forward to seeing your intro!!!!!

Blackbear · 10-20-2003, 02:46 AM

DIGGIT!! TEACH ME !!!

musicwielder · 10-20-2003, 11:50 AM

Wow!...Right on time with this. I was just talking to my friends last night on how I need to start finishing up a dozen unfinished projects but I got stuck on the quill work with a few. I just am not the greatest at all with that.
I'm looking forward to your intro. :D

WolfTears · 10-20-2003, 11:53 AM

oh yeahhhhhhhhhh ...makes note sleep before next week. LOL ..cant wait to see this one.

warhoop · 11-02-2003, 03:45 AM

I've only done a couple of pieces with quill, but thats with birch bark though. With the prices of quills and the selection that you get with your orders are pretty slim, so here are some money saving tips. You could find a dead porky on the side of a highway where porcupine are abundant. But alot of times most are damaged or you'll have to sweep them off the highway.
Myself I like to find a live porcupine and drape a blanket over it and poke at him a couple of times witha long stick but be careful you don't take all his quills and leave him defenseless. And another thing watch out for the tail they like to swing it at you if you get to close.
The best thing about doing it this way is that all the quills come out in pattern according to size.

You can also dye your quills with RIT dyes. I'll don't have much time to explain how to. So keep an eye out for my next post its pretty easy.

OH yeah whatever you do and this is most important, no matter how cute they look DON'T hug a PORKY.:p

warhoop · 11-08-2003, 12:54 AM

Well heres the directions on how to dye the quills using RIT dyes.
First I usually soak them in luke warm water I think it helps the dye set in quicker into the quills. Then follow the instructions on the box add it to a saucepan but DON'T add salt to it. when boiling add the quills. Let them sit in there until your desired color.
But thats a little tricky to. When your finished witheverything the quills will be lighter than you want so leave them in for a little longer. I might take a couple of batches of quills but you'll finally get the hang of it. Then take out the quills and let them dry because they will be really soft. when they are dried put them into a bowl of luke warm water again, and stir them around to wash of any excess dye because it will bleed if they are not rinsed. then take them out for the final drying.
Then you are finished.
:)

Blackbear · 11-08-2003, 02:59 AM

allright.... keep up the thread... I still need to learn!

**spottedeagle** · 11-08-2003, 01:11 PM

Lemme guess dying the quills is the easiest part??????;)

musicwielder · 11-08-2003, 04:57 PM

am anxiously awaiting the next step. :D

Czechy · 11-09-2003, 08:05 PM

I've heard of people using Kool-Aid to dye quills.
I've only used Rit myself and have found the liquid concentrate works a little better than the powder form.

Reez · 12-09-2003, 03:03 PM

Cool thread ! I use Rit dye but have real problems with green. They never come out right. Is there a trick to getting a true green color? The purple, red and blues come out just fine. The "army" drab just doesn't do it for me.
The hunter green didn't go well either...

(pots of dye an ugly quills everywhere!!)

wa-nu-ken · 12-13-2003, 09:51 PM

Reez

Try dying your quills in a brass or copper kettle. The metal will act as a mordant and will crisp up your green dye. You might try an iron kettle or pot but I haven't used one so I don't know if that works as a mordant.

I have been doing quillwork for 5 years now and like to work in the mid 18th century style of woodland quillwork, although I have done some more modern plains style stuff.

I have dyed quills both in commercial dyes and plant dyes. I like to use the analines because it is much easier and faster.

I know about that "draping the blanket/towel over the porky" concept of getting quills but you can never get enough. I get my quills from a farmer who shoots them. Then I skin the critter and tack it's hide on a piece of plywood. Then I can remove them at will and I get ALL the good quills. I pull them with a pair of long needlenose pliers that I dipped in that plasti-coat so the jaws won't damage the quills as i pull them off.

I like this thread and hope to learn some good tricks.

10-18-2003, 11:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
hidatsawmn26 Guest Posts: n/a	new quill work thread... eventually i will post a new quill work introduction on here ...its just gonna take some time here...maybe becasue theres so many ways to do quill work i should start something simple...when i first started when i was little i learned wrapping....the intro for wrapping i'll start pictures next week and display it next week sometime....i never did a intro before....one thing is i'm still trying to learn looming quills...so i hope yall can hold n until next week before i start this intro ...becca

10-19-2003, 08:50 AM	#3 (permalink)
spottedeagle The NDN Hugh Heffner Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Soaring over you Posts: 4,248	Thanks Becca!!!! I look forward to seeing your intro!!!!! __________________ The things you are doing today are the traditions of twenty-five years from now. -Daryl Baldwin: Miami

10-20-2003, 02:46 AM	#4 (permalink)
Blackbear Gone Fishing Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,514	DIGGIT!! TEACH ME !!! __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v4...Video002-1.flv

10-20-2003, 11:53 AM	#6 (permalink)
WolfTears StrongWillowsSister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Nashville Tenn Posts: 804	oh yeahhhhhhhhhh ...makes note sleep before next week. LOL ..cant wait to see this one. __________________ Better known an loved as Men~Nie Turtles ! Life is what you make it. Becareful what you give . You just might get it back!

11-08-2003, 02:59 AM	#9 (permalink)
Blackbear Gone Fishing Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alaska Posts: 9,514	allright.... keep up the thread... I still need to learn! __________________ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v4...Video002-1.flv

10-18-2003, 11:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
hidatsawmn26 Guest Posts: n/a	note** : Also there will be a intro discussion on dyeing quills...normally i use commercial dye...i know its not traditional to use commercial dye grinz but hay i'm a college student lol But you could always go route of buying already dyed quills...cheapest i found is crazy crow..later on next week i'll let you know how much to use for what.. To prepare for dyeing quills: discard all hairs but save them for any use later...i rinse them off and let them air dry... To store them: i use canning jars -becca

10-20-2003, 11:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
musicwielder Junior Dancer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: In the state of Confusion Posts: 136	Wow!...Right on time with this. I was just talking to my friends last night on how I need to start finishing up a dozen unfinished projects but I got stuck on the quill work with a few. I just am not the greatest at all with that. I'm looking forward to your intro. :D

11-02-2003, 03:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
warhoop Artist and Entrepreneur Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Beartown Posts: 72	I've only done a couple of pieces with quill, but thats with birch bark though. With the prices of quills and the selection that you get with your orders are pretty slim, so here are some money saving tips. You could find a dead porky on the side of a highway where porcupine are abundant. But alot of times most are damaged or you'll have to sweep them off the highway. Myself I like to find a live porcupine and drape a blanket over it and poke at him a couple of times witha long stick but be careful you don't take all his quills and leave him defenseless. And another thing watch out for the tail they like to swing it at you if you get to close. The best thing about doing it this way is that all the quills come out in pattern according to size. You can also dye your quills with RIT dyes. I'll don't have much time to explain how to. So keep an eye out for my next post its pretty easy. OH yeah whatever you do and this is most important, no matter how cute they look DON'T hug a PORKY.:p

11-08-2003, 12:54 AM	#8 (permalink)
warhoop Artist and Entrepreneur Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Beartown Posts: 72	Well heres the directions on how to dye the quills using RIT dyes. First I usually soak them in luke warm water I think it helps the dye set in quicker into the quills. Then follow the instructions on the box add it to a saucepan but DON'T add salt to it. when boiling add the quills. Let them sit in there until your desired color. But thats a little tricky to. When your finished witheverything the quills will be lighter than you want so leave them in for a little longer. I might take a couple of batches of quills but you'll finally get the hang of it. Then take out the quills and let them dry because they will be really soft. when they are dried put them into a bowl of luke warm water again, and stir them around to wash of any excess dye because it will bleed if they are not rinsed. then take them out for the final drying. Then you are finished. :)

11-08-2003, 01:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
spottedeagle The NDN Hugh Heffner Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Soaring over you Posts: 4,248	Lemme guess dying the quills is the easiest part??????;) __________________ The things you are doing today are the traditions of twenty-five years from now. -Daryl Baldwin: Miami

11-08-2003, 04:57 PM	#11 (permalink)
musicwielder Junior Dancer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: In the state of Confusion Posts: 136	am anxiously awaiting the next step. :D

11-09-2003, 08:05 PM	#12 (permalink)
Czechy wrapped in ribbonwork! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Here....for now Posts: 749	I've heard of people using Kool-Aid to dye quills. I've only used Rit myself and have found the liquid concentrate works a little better than the powder form.

12-09-2003, 03:03 PM	#13 (permalink)
Reez Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Northeastern USA Posts: 13	Cool thread ! I use Rit dye but have real problems with green. They never come out right. Is there a trick to getting a true green color? The purple, red and blues come out just fine. The "army" drab just doesn't do it for me. The hunter green didn't go well either... (pots of dye an ugly quills everywhere!!)

12-13-2003, 09:51 PM	#14 (permalink)
wa-nu-ken Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: finger lakes NY Posts: 18	dying quills Reez Try dying your quills in a brass or copper kettle. The metal will act as a mordant and will crisp up your green dye. You might try an iron kettle or pot but I haven't used one so I don't know if that works as a mordant. I have been doing quillwork for 5 years now and like to work in the mid 18th century style of woodland quillwork, although I have done some more modern plains style stuff. I have dyed quills both in commercial dyes and plant dyes. I like to use the analines because it is much easier and faster. I know about that "draping the blanket/towel over the porky" concept of getting quills but you can never get enough. I get my quills from a farmer who shoots them. Then I skin the critter and tack it's hide on a piece of plywood. Then I can remove them at will and I get ALL the good quills. I pull them with a pair of long needlenose pliers that I dipped in that plasti-coat so the jaws won't damage the quills as i pull them off. I like this thread and hope to learn some good tricks.

12-14-2003, 11:37 AM	#15 (permalink)