Materials

Nettle fiber? Twine in dark and light natural colors. Natural dyes in rose, green, purple, orange, gold and natural.

Techniques or Format

Bag is hand woven with nettle warp using twisted linen twine as weft. The warp is in a continuous strand from one side to the other and woven from the top down. Bottom has no seam. Bag is shaped with warp fibers cut at edge to create a decrease at bottom. CW, CH.

Motifs and Patterns

Three panels of woven ottertail with two panels parallel and the third mirrored. Otter tail is woven into the bag by splitting two neighboring bundles of warp fibers and twisting a portion of the colored section to the back of the neighboring warp bundle. CH.

Other Notes

Woven bag made of nettle fibers that have been dyed with natural pigments. The motif is comprised of three panels of ottertail with two being parallel and the third is mirrored. Ottertail is woven, not applied. Edge of bag is braided warp fibers. CW, CH. See scanned drawings. W 58.5 cm [at top] x H 39 cm. W 48 cm [at bottom] x H 39 cm.

Condition: Good overall condition. Light damage noted, and the nettle is shedding cortical fibers, but in overall good condition. CH.

Current Location: Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, MO, USA

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: X 10721

GKS Reference Number: 25012