Skirt Women’s Osage

Women’s Large Osage Ribbonwork Skirt

This Skirt Women’s Osage features four panels of ribbonwork on the front.   The seamstress made it with soft purple wool with an adjustable drawstring waist.  There is a blue fabric band at the top.  She used Sage Green, Yellow, Brown, Pink, Blue and Cream ribbons to create the detailed ribbonwork on the front   The front panel measures 11.5 inches wide and 30 inches long and it extends below the hem of the skirt.  The seamstress crafted the hem applique panel in Olive Green, Red, Yellow, and Sage Green with a top border in Cream and Navy Blue ribbon.  The hem panel measures 5 inches wide and wraps around the bottom of the skirt.

The skirt measures 39 inches long and 25 inches wide (lying flat).  A previous owner wore this skirt so you will see signs of wear and some fading and stains on the ribbons.  You will find it in good, wearable condition.  One of a Kind!

Osage women’s ribbonwork skirts are an important part of Osage formal and ceremonial clothing, combining European trade materials with Osage design traditions and sewing techniques. The ribbonwork itself is particularly distinctive for its complex geometric patterns, symmetry, and carefully layered colors.  Traditionally, seamstresses make these skirts from a substantial fabric such as wool broadcloth, with ribbonwork serving as the major decorative treatment. The ribbonwork is not simply ribbon sewn along the edge. Seamstresses construct them from multiple layers of ribbon that they carefully measure, join, mark, cut, fold, and hand-stitch to create a continuous geometric design.

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