Ribbon work

Ribbon work is an appliqué technique for clothing and dance regalia among Prairie and Great Lakes Native American tribes.
History
Silk ribbons, brought to North America by European traders, inspired a new, uniquely Native American art form. Mi'kmaq people created ribbon appliqué as early as 1611. In 1789 the regime of the French Revolution decreed that clothing should be plain, so silk ribbons fell out of fashion in France and were exported to North America. Those tribes who traded furs with the French are most known for their ribbon work, such as the Kickapoo, Mesquakie, Miami, Odawa, Ojibwa, Osage, Otoe-Missouria, Potawatomi, and Quapaw, but the practice has spread to many other tribes. Initially, layers of ribbons were sewn on the edges of cloth, replacing painted lines on hide clothing and blankets. By the close of the 18th century, Native seamstresses created much more intricate appliqué ribbon work designs.
Description
The...