Appearance, Aroma, and Texture

The first time I picked up this item, I was moved by the combination of red and green colors. This is the same color combination as is on the flag of my country, Bangladesh. White lines, made with the natural white color of the quills alternate between the green and red. The item smells of birch wood. It feels like weaving or like the quills are embroidered over the flat surface. The quills are glossy and smooth. The quills would have been moistened in order to make this item, as this is the technique of how they are woven in and when they dry in place this enables them to hold firmly.

The pincushion is made by two isosceles triangle shaped pieces of birch bark, that remind me of a heart shaped locket, sewn together with a material to form its sides where the pins would be inserted for use. It is difficult to tell if this material is hide or cloth because it is small, worn, and quite old. The museum record includes sweetgrass among the materials which make up this pincushion, but none could be detected when I inspected the item physically. I couldn’t tell what is stuffed inside because it does not open; perhaps sweetgrass?