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Exposition: Crisp Museum To Hold 'Peyote Stitch' Beading Workshop at Southeast River Campus

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On November 6th and 7th, the Crisp Museum at the Southeast River Campus is hosting a 'peyote-stitch' beading workshop.

Candy Nadimpally recently spoke with Ellen Flentge, Curator of Education at the Crisp Museum, about the ancient artform.

Candy: Today we're speaking with Ellen Flentge. She is the Curator of Education at the Crisp Museum on the Southeast River Campus. Hi, Ellen.

Ellen: Hi, Candy.

Candy: Welcome. How are you doing today?

Ellen: Great.

Candy: Could you please tell us more about Peyote Stitch Beading.

Ellen: Peyote stitch beading has a history as far back as ancient Egypt. The modern name for it, peyote stitch, actually comes from the Kiowa and Comanche tribes from the 1800s. And peyote stitch is a process in which you are only adding one bead at a time as you're working.

Candy: Okay, and what is this workshop is about?

Ellen: Basically, the class is going to be an introduction to anybody that doesn't know how to do the peyote stitch, and it's a staggered process. When you think of how it looks visually, it's like a row of bricks on top, another row of bricks and you have that staggered look between the seams. When you start with peyote stitch, you have to make a decision ahead of time-- if you choose to use a pattern or just wing it as you go, you will select colors that you like to use. We have a variety to pick from and as you go, you'll just follow your pattern.

Candy: Okay, what beading techniques do you guys teach in this workshop?

Ellen: You have a variety of ways to start. If you're embellishing something that is already fabric, then you can start just by hooking into the fabric with your thread and needle, and then begin by adding beads and then you work around and around and around. Or you can start with peyote stitch around a cylinder object as an example. If you make a key ring that's wrapped around a cylindrical object, I myself have a spirit rattle in which the handle is peyote stitched around.

Candy: Okay, how many bead colors are needed to complete the beading pattern.

Ellen: However many the person would like. You can make a solid or you can make a pattern.

Candy: Okay? Would you prefer bright colors or dull colors. What looks good for most of the pattern?

Ellen: A lot of the times when you look at patterns, there are contrast in colors. That means there's a very light and a very dark also, besides just regular colors. You can have patterns that show little elements of perhaps symbolism. There may be something representing a shape or as if like a flower or a zigzag or triangular shape geometric shapes if you're really unlimited, and there are lots of ideas to see, if you look online

Candy: But in case, they don't have knowledge about the stitch beading before, can [someone] join your workshop, or is it mandatory to have some knowledge or experience before joining this workshop?

Ellen: This is the great place to start. I'd be happy to show anybody that wants to learn what it is. Don't hesitate to look it up online. It's peyote stitch, P-E-Y-O-T-E. There are a lot of examples you can be inspired. A lot of the times people can learn from a video but it's always so much fun just to come where you can be with a group of people and a lot of the times you may get another inspiration from someone else

Candy: That's good to hear. Do you need to register prior to the event, or can [someone] just show up in your workshop?

Ellen: Yes, there is a pre-registration required. It's a week ahead. The event happens November sixth and seventh, from 1 to 4. We do like for the people to attend both days that is a Saturday and a Sunday but registration is required a week ahead which is October 30th. SEMO university staff and students can take the class for free, and anybody in our public area can take the class for $10.

Candy: Okay, people who are attending your workshops--are you guys going to provide materials to them or [will] we need to get materials?

Ellen: All the materials are going to be provided. Okay, we will have the opportunity to create a small keychain which would be a fairly quick object to make. You can stitch straight on to some leather that we have as optional we also have some wooden bead bases that can have pod stitch added to them. The peyote stitch by itself, can stand alone and you can make a cylinder shape which can become a bracelet or a necklace. There is a wide variety of options that you can make with peyote stick one of the first things I ever saw myself that was peyote stitch a friend of mine had a necklace that had a beaded pouch and so that was very important to her with her heritage in the Native American society. I do want to remind everybody that it is a weekend of fun before Christmas. It's November sixth and seventh.

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