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Symbolism In Native American Counted Cross Stitch
An ever popular subject, Native American counted cross stitch designs depict not only the people themselves, but items and animals important to their traditions and spirituality.
An ever popular subject, Native American counted cross stitch designs depict not only the people themselves, but items and animals important to their traditions and spirituality.
Native Americans highly respect all living things - plants and animals alike. They believe that nine animals travel with a person throughout their life, transferring their strength, bravery, or guidance. These animals are called totems, and are believed to communicate with the person and act as a guardian spirit.
Some of the animals seen as a totem would be the bear, cougar, raven, wolf, eagle, or the white buffalo, one of the most sacred animals to Native Americans. All of these animals, as well others, can be found in Native American counted cross stitch designs. You will also find other sacred possessions such as eagle feathers, used in headdresses in many tribes.
Other spiritually important items are the peace pipe and the medicine wheel. The pipe is used in Native American ceremonies as they say a prayer to the four directions. The medicine wheel is used either literally in the patterns or symbolically with the pattern enclosed in a circle representing the “sacred hoop” or “cycle of life”.
Some of the most beautiful Native American cross stitch patterns you will find are those that show the dancers in their traditional regalia. You might find a Sun Dancer or Fancy Dancer, which used hand stitching and beading to complete their regalia. Seminoles of Florida have used cotton pieces to make clothing for themselves, and also as a means of earning a living. Many designers create cross stitch patterns using this Seminole border.
Other items used to adorn regalia were beads carved from bone, hooves, horn, turtle shells, and wood. These would be used both on common and ritual items. Regalia would also include teeth and dyed, flattened porcupine quills used for necklaces, chokers, or breastplates.
When the traders began arriving in the 1800s, Native Americans switched to using larger glass beads that they called “pony beads” because of the trader’s horses. In the 1840s, the peyote stitch began to be used with smaller beads in multiple colors. Many Native American counted cross stitch designs use seed beads in the patterns based on the traditional use of beading.