Tribe: Northern arapaho

Art form: fiber arts

The artist:

I grew up in Arapaho, Wyoming. When I was eight years old at a traditional ceremony, my aunt asked if I could mend an item and I asked her how she wanted me to do it and she showed me how. I learned more skills from another auntie - not just how to mend, but also how to hand sew. I got to learn from one auntie who was beading, and the other auntie who was hand sewing. 

In fifth grade I was introduced to a sewing machine. 

My main sewing experience came from going to Home Ec classes at school, where we worked with machines and learned, step by step, how to use the machines and construct patterns and put projects together before starting to sew. Home Ec classes have been taken out of schools so I want to bring this knowledge back to the community, to those who don’t know how to sew and for those who really want to learn. It’s a gap that needs to be filled. 

I have 5 kids, and I’m teaching my oldest daughter how to sew. My second oldest beads, my son beads, and my daughter cord beads.

In addition to sewing, I also do a lot of craft work, including candle holders, coin purses, phone carriers, towel sets, pipe bags, shawls, and more!