American Indian Beadwork

by W Ben Hunt

If you were in the Boy Scouts in your younger years and had the Indian lore "bug," you surely read the books by W. Ben Hunt. While a bit dated and with text that is not really politically correct in the 21st century (too many uses of the word "squaw"), this book does have a lot of great information and beadwork designs.

You can learn how to make a standard loom, box loom, and bow loom. It shows how to do basic loom work, lazy stitch, peyote stitch, and a simple appliqué stitch. There are 54 black and white photographs of historic and contemporary (in 1951) beaded items that provide a wealth of design ideas.

What always made this book popular are the 13 pages of color beadwork designs presented in a graph paper-like format. They are easy to reproduce using both loom and lazy stitch techniques. Designs include narrow bands for use as arm bands, belts, or legging strips, larger panels for use in pipebags and other large areas, and 13 rosettes. A good resource for more than 50 years.

63 pp ~ 13 color photos ~ 54 b/w photos — ©1951