Native American Cross Stitch

by Julie Hasler

All in color! More than 40 projects celebrate the art and culture of Native Americans. Use cross stitch to mimic the striking effects of traditional beadwork and weaving. Make a stunning Navajo rug, a Cree friendship bag, and a dream catcher. Preserve the beauty of the Native American way of life in detailed portraits, including a Nez Perce woman and a Sioux warrior. Fascinating facts about various tribes accompany the projects, each of which features a full-color photograph and stitch chart. A Selection of Book of the Month Club . Trim 8 1/2 x 11.

Hardcover

First published August 1, 1999

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I prefer Joan Elliott’s Native American Cross stitch book, from which I have used the alphabet designs to make holiday ornaments, and another few patterns for bookmarks.

This book made me uncomfortable a few times with the choice of patterns or informational text (the author is not herself an American Indian). For example, she has some text on page 18 about the Sioux defending themselves against the U.S. army and signing a treaty granting them half of South Dakota forever. While that’s true, she left out everything that happened next, including the army’s slaughter of Sioux women and children, and the stealing of nearly all their reservation and holy lands that had been promised them forever.

Here is a summary of the designs in the book:
Portrait of chief Red Cloud or border design
Ceremonial dancers and border design
Suncatcher and medicine wheel
Plains warrior portrait and border
Ceremonial buffalo skull
Assorted artifacts (peace pipe, bear claw, etc)
Sioux warrior portrait and border
Horse and rider portrait and border
Haida style eagle copied off a drum
Coyote portrait and border
Ute floral designs
Sioux horse head
New Perce woman
Navajo style rug and belt
Pueblo style pottery
Images from sand painting
Eastern woodland tribes motifs
Nez Perce style motifs, assorted American Indian inspired small motifs, project ideas

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has some really beautiful designs and some great ideas for making them into beautiful gifts.

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A variety of patterns and scenes.