I started the beadwork for another AJ Miller inspired shooting bag this afternoon. Old style colors, no longer made. Crow pink, greasy yellow, bodmer blue and antique white hearts (the red beads have white centers). The pouch is about 6 inches across. The leather is brain tanned deer skin.

Nice Ksnow
Serious question. Being that shape, were they ever made from a bulls sack?

How much do vintage white hearts cost per string now? I used to import them from SE Asia 30 years ago. They were the older ones, sort of had a pinkish tone to them.

I've never come across anything suggesting that they were made from "ball bags." I have not had the chance to see any originals up close, but from what I can tell they all appear to be two piece construction, and fringed at the bottom.



I'd say on average I see them for $30 per 16 inch strand.

Colors range from deep ruby red, to almost a purple red, to pinkish or dusty red. I'm not an avid bead collector, so I couldn't tell you which colors, if any, are older, more valuable, etc.

Just curious..if those colors are no longer made where do you get them?, you have a stash?....

I have a small stash, and buy them when I can from people who don't do beadwork any more. I've been known to buy a LOT of beads just to get a few bags of old colors.

There's a part of me that hates to use them, because I know when they are gone, they're gone. But those old colors look so nice compared to new colors (too bright and even)

You do good work Ksnow. I have always enjoyed seeing your finished work. You are skilled and have a good eye for detail.

Thank you, that means a lot.

I'll post more pictures as the project progressses.

Very nice, Kyle. Coming to Bloody Lake 'vous?

Apparently fate will never let me make it there. I am teaching a Trapper's Ed class that weekend.

Maybe some year.....

You use a saddle stich , when forming the pouch??

White hearts are my favourite.

Around here, between eight and twenty five dollars of strand

Typically a whip stitch, or running stitch when working with brain tan. If I am making one from veg tan or oil skin, then I use a saddle stitch.



I love em too. Seems the smaller they are, the harder they are to find. I'd love to get a few more strands in the 10/o to 12/0o range.

To bad you guys ain’t injen,,,,,, I would trade your land for these white beads and some rot gut..

Greasy yellow or white hearts and we'll talk......

Do any of the beads you use look like the trade beads from the early 19th century?

If you mean the fancier patterned beads, I have some, but don't use them much.

There was an amazing variety of beads available at that time. It wasn't just white and black (dark blue) like some people think.

Looking forward to seeing final product

Nice to see you are using old beads.
I still have a few strings in my collection, just took a picture of a few of them. All the red ones are white hearts, the little ones are the smallest I've ever seen. The blue ones are cobalt.
These were generally made in Vienna and traded all over the world from the 1700's and 1800's. I've been told that the older white hearts are the reddish/pinkish/purplish ones. They were made when they still used gold chloride to make red glass. Whereas the newer ones (early 1900's to present) are a little orangish, as the glass is now formulated differently.
I used to sell most of my white hearts to interior Indians, and the blue beads seem to be preferred by coastal Indians.
Probably more information than you want.

Great information Waggler, thank you very much. That little strand you are pointing to is what I always look for when I see beads for sale at a 'vous.

That's a great collection.

Haven't thought about beads for a long time. I remember getting off an international flight in Seattle, in 1990, carrying a backpack with 70 pounds of beads. Wish I still had all of those.

That had to be quite the backpack of beads.

Got the main beadwork pattern finished up on the body. Still debating if I do any beadwork on the flap.

K snow, what does a bag like that usually sell for?

I start em at 200, and go up depending on complexity of beadwork and colors used.

Ksnow I always enjoy seeing your projects. Thanks for sharing.

A little more progress. Got the body of the bag all sewn together. There's a back, front, gusset, and the flap which will become fringe. I have not sewn on the top flap yet, as I am still debating if I do some beadwork on it or not.

Looks great! I'm envious of your skills!

Really nice work.

Bead match the ones in your dreds?


Pretty crazy,,, bunch of trappers getting excited for this spring’s handbag collection to be released.

Beautiful work!

It is some cool Historical skills.

Not like when You try to Bedazzle your man panties.

Pretty crazy a trapper can't recognize the skills needed to make something like, that used by trappers in the past.

KSnow, you always do such precise, attractive work. Thank you for sharing the process.

Thank you everyone.

Don’t get your panties in a not,,,m Nessy will show you his buns shortly……

Ya might even get to see cottons hog leg ,,,, if your nice…….

Nice work

Don't worry about my panties and pics of the beaded pouch are all I want to see.

Very nice work!