How To: Miniature Breastplate

 

Recently taught myself how to make a miniature Native American breastplate for an assemblage doll. 

 

I thought "Grandmother Moon" needed one to dress up her lame' and satin gown. (These breastplates were originally designed from bone and/or antler beads made by hand with crude tools, to be used as body armor for protection. Men's breastplates commonly covered the neck and chest area, women's breastplates were to protect heart and reproduction parts.)

 

This tried my patience and dexterity but I enjoy detail work. It wasn't easy and I had to start over - twice but . .  I DID IT 

 

Now I have to get the hand vac and find all the beads that dropped on the floor.

 

 

 

 

Learned very quickly to pin it to cardboard to secure the work. Used satin ribbon, seed beads, pony beads and bugle beads and wove the pattern back and forth.

 

Don't want to remember how many times I had to "unstring" beads because I got the count wrong - focus!

 

                    A close up of the finished product; only took two days.

Not bad for the first time. Actually, anxious to make another - and do it better.