Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

July 28, 2001 - Issue 41

Craft Series - Hairpipes - Part Three

 by Lynne Sageflower Pennington

Please note that the photographs are provided as examples NOT as models or replicas for the projects.

Projects covered in this article:
How to make:

• Bandolier Necklace
• Crow Loop Necklace
• Pouch with Hairpipe Fringe
• Hatband for Western Hats
• Watch bands made with Hairpipe
• Watch Band 2

Bandolier Necklace

A Yakima man who visited Washington in 1901, wore a bandolier of hair pipes (and a crow style loop necklace).

Materials:

48

2" Hairpipes

1

6 hole spacer

14

3 hole spacers

400

crow beads (4 different colors =100 of each color)

6

one yard pieces of (1 mm) thin leather cording

1

2" Abalone disk 2 holes

Instructions:

1.

Take each cord and thread it the following way:

4 beads, hairpipe, 4 beads.

2.

Thread each cord through the 6 hole spacer. Then divide each side into three cords, 3 on the left & three on the right. On each of these three cords follow this pattern for seven sets:

One Set: Spacer ( 6 hole) one you started with, 4 beads, Hairpipe, 4 beads, Spacer (3 hole)

Repeat this set for the next 6 sets.

3.

Once you have all seven sets done on each side, you will have cording left. On each piece of cording thread the remaining beads in the same pattern as you did the other beads only this time you will not have a hairpipe or the spacer. Tie each cord together with an overhand knot.

How to place the disks

4.

Thread a piece of cording between the 3 and 4^th bead on the 6 hole spacer and bring it under and up. Thread the two ends of the cording one in each hole of the abalone disk. Tie in a knot to secure and overhand knot the ends.

Crow Loop Necklace

Materials:

2

1 x 17" loom strips

4

1 x 18" leather strips

17

36" Leather cording ( 2 mm)

2

9" Leather cording ( 2 mm)

2

Abalone or conch disc ( 1 1/4")

704

5 mm White clam shell hishi

64

5 mm Black cocoa shell hishi

19

5 mm black olive shell hishi

4

1" tin cones

Leather hole puncher

Instructions:

1.

Take 2 of the leather strips and punch holes in each strip starting 1 ½" from the top at 1" intervals for 15 hole on both sides of the strip about 3/4 of an inch in from the edge.

2.

Starting with the top hole thread a 36" Leather cording through the 15 holes. Knot the end so it will not pull through. Follow the pattern below:

Row 1 - 10 white clam, 2 Black cocoa, 1 black olive, 10 white clam

Thread it cording through the other strip hole then knot the end.

Do the same pattern for the next 14 rows only increase the white clam shell hishi by 2 for each row ( example)

Row 2 - 12 White clam, 2 Black cocoa, 1 black olive, 12 White clam

Row 3 - 14 white clam, 2 Black cocoa, 1 black olive, 14 white clam

On the last row you should have: 38 white clam, 2 black cocoa, 1 black olive, 38 white clam

3.

After you finish the last row, sew the loom strips 1" from the top of the strip onto each the leather strip ( this will cover the leather cording)

4.

Now punch another hole in the center of the top in the strip 3/4" in from the end. Then thread one of the other 2 remaining 36" leather cording to the ends and knot to secure.

5.

Punch two holes between the tie and the top of the loom strip the width of the holes in the 1 ½" disk.

Attach the disk with the 9" leather cording. Thread a hishi of each color in each cord then thread the tin cone ( small end first) and knot the end. Slide the cord up into the cone.

6.

After this is done, sew or glue the other 2 remaining leather strips to the back of the loomed strips for a backing to cover everything.

Another way to do this is to use a 16 hole spacer. You would use the top hole for the neck cording ties.

Pouch with Hairpipe Fringe
pouch created and beaded by Kathy Anderson of Neokistomi (www.neokistomi.com)

Materials:

Pouch ( pre-made whether by kit or handmade)

11

1 ½" Hairpipes

110

beads (8 mm) 5 different colors I will refer to these beads as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the instructions.

11

drilled cowrie shells or if you want to you can use cones on the ends, you will need 11 pony beads (E beads), if you use cones.

4

yards sinew ( just to on the safe side)

Glovers needle or leather needle

Instructions:

If you are going to bead the front face and/or back of your pouch my advise is to do this before you put the pouch together. then follow the instructions below.

1.

Thread the sinew onto the needle. Tie an overhand knot on the end.

2.

With your pouch turned on the correct side, pull the thread through on of the bottom side of the pouch.

3.

Thread the sinew as follows:

Bead 1, bead 2, bead 3, bead 4, bead 5,  1 ½" hairpipe, bead 5, bead 4, bead 3, bead 2, bead 1, shell

4.

Now thread the sinew back up through the beads and back up into the pouch. Go over about 1/4 of an inch, pull the sinew back through the bottom of the pouch and start the next strand of fringe. Continue to do this until you have 11 strands of fringe. Tie an overhand knot to secure the last stand of fringe inside the pouch.

Hatband for Western Hats

This is the one I have on my Black Western hat. I have received many compliments on it. I saw this as a necklace and decided to try it as a hatband.

Materials:

8

silver 18 mm x 8 mm beads

8

1 ½" bone hairpipes

20

Glass crow beads (I used Turquoise)

38

smaller pony beads (3/0 in size) (I used peach and silver)

silver Concho 1"x 1 ½"

1

jump ring

2

small silver feather charms

4

medium silver feather charms

2

1 ½" yards of natural leather cording

Instructions:

1.

Thread both pieces of cording through the concho. Even out the cording on both sides. Put a overhand knot in each cord close to the concho center.

2.

Attach the two smaller feathers onto the cording in the center of the concho.

3.

After you get this done tie knots close to the ends of the concho outside edge.

4.

Then follow this bead and hairpipe pattern:

crow bead, 2 pony beads (silver then peach), silver bead , 2 pony beads (peach then silver)
crow bead, 1 ½" hairpipe, crow bead, 2 pony beads (silver then peach), silver bead , 2 pony beads
(peach then silver), crow bead,1 ½" hairpipe, crow bead, 2 pony beads (silver then peach), crow bead, 2 pony beads (peach then silver)

5.

Repeat this pattern on the remaining 3 pieces of cording.

6.

Once you have them all done, place it around the hat. At this point either increase or decrease the ending beads to fit your hat.

7.

Now tie all the cording into a tight knot in the back of the hat. If you want to before tying the knot put another concho on then tie the knot.

8.

Measure the remaining cording from where your hat sits on the back of your head to the middle of my shoulder blades and cut it even at that point. If you do not want it even then just leave it alone.

Then on each cord thread three pony beads, alternating the colors, then the medium size feather charm and thread on the crimping bead on the cord . Bring the cord up around the hoop on the medium size feather and back up into the crimping bead and secure.

One last thing. On the concho in the front, I glued in pieces of the cord to fill in the gaps. I would suggest doing the same thing if you have one on the back.

Watch bands made with Hairpipe

In some craft store you can still find the watch parts to do this project. You can add charms onto it with jump rings if you want to. Although these instructions are for watch parts you purchase at a craft store I have done this with a regular watch that the strap has broken off of.

Watch band 1

Watch face

Watch clips

10

1 ½" Hairpipes

4

Crimp beads

24

Black beads 6 mm

24

Silver beads 4 mm

48

Black seed beads

24"

Sinew

1.

Take the pins out of the back of the watch face. You will place them back in later. Thread each end of the sinew through one of two holes on each of the watch pins. Now in a weaving pattern (I will explain this) follow the following pattern for each side.

Black seed bead, Black bead, Black seed bead, silver bead

Now, take each end and thread the ends through the hairpipe in opposite directions. Then follow the above bead pattern again. You will follow these instructions for the next 4 hairpipes.

2.

Once you have both sides done you are going to thread each sinew end through the end holes of the watch clips. Thread a crimping bead onto the sinew and clamp down the crimping bead to secure with a pair of needle nose pliers or jewelry pliers.

Now replace the watch pins back into the back of the watch face.

Watch Band 2

Materials:

Watch face

Watch clips

10

1" Hairpipes

20

Black beads 4 mm

25

Turquoise beads 4 mm

29

Silver beads 4 mm

2

Buffalo buttons ( you can buy these a a fabric store) or 2 buttons with one shank on the back and about a nickel size.

22"

Sinew

26"

Sinew

Instructions:

1.

Remove the spring pins from the watch. put it aside.

2.

Take one of the buttons, thread the ends through the shank in the button and equal out the ends. Put the ends through the loop of sinew and pull tight, tie a double overhand knot against the button shank.

3.

Now follow this pattern to each strand of sinew: 2 silver beads, 1 turquoise bead, 1 sliver bead, 1 turquoise bead, 1 black bead

4.

Thread a hairpipe on one of the strands, then thread the other strand of sinew through the opposite
way through the hairpipe.

5.

Repeat steps #3 and #4 for the next 4 hairpipe sets, only use one sliver bead instead of two at the beginning.

6.

When you reach the last hairpipe follow this bead pattern: silver bead, turquoise. bead, silver bead

7.

Once you reach the end of this, you are going to attach it to the watch. Thread each strand in the opposite direction through the tube on the back of the watch attachment and tie ends together with an overhand knot.

8.

Now for the other side

Thread the ends of the sinew through the shank on the button and thread the ends through the loop of the sinew. Pull tight ( do not tie a double knot this time).

This is it for Part 3. In Part 4 we will do Antiquing and dying Hairpipes, Men's Breast plates ( 3 types).

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