Rattle Sweetgrass and Birchbark

Handmade Sweetgrass Rattle with Quilled Birchbark Top

Don’t miss this handmade Rattle Sweetgrass and Birchbark!  The crafter used a natural branch for the handle.  He wound blades of Sweetgrass to create the main part of the rattle.  At the top he attached a piece of natural Birchbark.  On this he created a star design with Purple and White Porcupine Quills.  The Rattle measures about 11 inches long overall.  The flat top measures 2.5 inches in diameter with a 1.5 inch wide quilled design.  Quillwork colors vary.

Rattles are a traditional Native American instrument.  Native American crafters regularly use Bark, Gourds and Turtle Shells to make Rattles.  They use bark from the White Birch and Sweetgrass to make baskets.  Or in this case a unique rattle!   To create quillwork designs, they gather and dye American Porcupine Quills.  After they soak and flatten them, they carefully attach them to Birchbark to create botanical and geometric designs.  Porcupine Quillwork is a classic Native American craft.

Shop for more Native American Instruments

Read the Denver Art Museum Leaflet Indian Musical and Noise Making Instruments

Watch our YouTube Video on Porcupine Quillwork

We cannot ship plant materials to Australia