HELP needed greatly!!! info on turtle shell purses

[lumbee_babi_gurl]

hey i need to know how to make a turtle shell purse!!! i have my shell and a yd or so of buckskin and other types of leather material !!!! someone please refer to somewhere for help !!!! ASAP!!! thanxz bunches!!:Angel2

[Blackbear]

I've never made one myself...but I own one and it looks like they just cut the shell almost in half with the back half being a bit bigger...then they make the bag and attach it inside the shell..mine's partly glued in and there have been holes drilled in the shell to partly sew it together too..then the fringe sticks out the leg holes...that's the only way I can describe it.

[Sweet Syilx]

I have never seen one of these purses before. I would love to see a picture of yours, Blackbear :) My curiousity would appreciate it *LOL*

R.

[wyo_rose]

I've never seen one either, but it sounds very interesting. Please post a pic.

[lumbee_babi_gurl]

Whoa!!!

so in otha words, hardly no one knows what a turtle shell purse is??? that is really amazing!!! i feel for you all who have been deprived for so long!!;) LOL!!! they really are beautiful though......i'm still needing a little more info though.......so please post away!!!!!

[Blackbear]

http://cgi.aol.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2163885683&category=13753

Here's one on ebay..kinda cheesy looking leather they used...
These are'nt the most beautiful of purses nor are they easy to get into ROFLMAO..but my hubby bought one for me cause I had not been dancing with a purse and felt I needed one since I had not had the time to bead myself anything. I'd take a pic and show you , but dont have the photo editor in the computer right now till it is fixed.

here are some more...

http://www.mapsgroup.org/turtle_shell_purses.htm

http://southwestimages.safeshopper.com/6/54.htm?817

[wyo_rose]

Hey, they're cool. I guess I am deprived. I've never seen a turtle outside the zoo.:p

[FancyStar]

Just one way you could do it:

First make a pattern using a paper bag. Next lay the shell on it belly first and draw around it, flip it over with the " butt" of the shell almost touching and draw around what would be the back.
Put this is your shell so that you can measure your how it will fit.
Make adjustments as needed
Next, Using a drill make small holes along the bottom of the shell.
But Becareful. This is tricky because you don't want your holes tacky huge, but you want them close enough to gether without breaking through.
Next On the top of your pattern draw an extra1-2 inch flap for closing your shell purse.
If your purse is going to close over the back drill another two small holes in it about 1/4 inch apart.
Use your pattern on the leather and drawn it out.
Sew the sides up together.
On the two holes you drilled in the back, cut a narrow peice of skin and put it through these.
Cut your fringes in addition and string through your holes you've drilled. You can add beads and what not the following day. VERY IMPORTANT, make sure you have your fringe exactly how you like it, because the final step will secure it.
Next place your leather inand postion it to your liking.
Once you have that figured, pull the leather out and use a strong glue compound, like glue cement, and coat the inside of the shells.
QUICKLY, place your leather back in and fit it to the insides with the closing flap out.
Aplly pressure or stuff with white tissue paper till its stuffed tight and leave over night.
The next day, you wake up, admire your new purse, take a picture and post on pow-wows.com.
Hope this helps.
Doing it this way will keep you form having to drill around the entire shell every 1/4 to 1/2 inch on your shell, and you can bead your flap or decorate it any way you want to your liking!

Good luck and can't wait to see pictures of it!

[lumbee_babi_gurl]

great!!

i can't guarantee when i'll get it done, but hopefully soon!! thanxz so much!!!!:Angel2

[Blackbear]

That's ok Wyo Rose...I have a T-shirt (actually the one I am wearing in my avatar) with the tree of peace on top of a snapping turtle's back (has to do with our creation story but won't go into detail here). Our big Otoe/osage friend of ours up here said... is there REALLLLLY a turtle with a tail like that??? And I was like...uh yeah , a snapping turtle. He had never seen a snapping turtle before or heard of one LOL! I found this funny cause he was one of the first people to see my snapping turtle rattle when my cousin sent it to me.

[lumbee_babi_gurl]

hey blackbear, i recently found out about my tuscarora lineage....and i'd really love to hear your version of the creation story, if you wouldn't mind pm-ing it to me sometime.....i was told that i'm more than likely of the turtle clan by one of my fellow tuscarora around these parts......i'm just really, REEEAALLLYYYYY interested in this new found part of my heritage......can you help me out??? thanxz bunches !!! :Angel2

[whirlwind]

turtle shell purse???

So just out of curiousity, where did this style of purse-bag originate? I study Plains people, and am not familiar with this item.

Is this an item used by Eastern or Southeastern woodland peoples?

Ken Weidner

[FancyStar]

This tends to more of an Eastern Woodland thang!
They used to be common but you hardly see any anymoreon indians. At things like those rendevous (sp) you see alot of thos women and men wearing them but not toomuch anywhere else.

I remember when I was little there used to be this one jingle dancer around here that used a turtle bag when she danced instead of a beaded purse. Also Carla Keats from Philly, MS uses a basket purse her grandmaother made when she used ot dance jingle!

I think that is cool myslef, when you can take something from your family or tribe and incorporate it into mainstream and have it look just keeners!

[Blackbear]

Hmm..I had'nt seen them made until a few years ago myself and I am northeasternwoodland... I thought they were a newer idea and have no clue to thier origin. But I see them being sold all over..just never anyone dancing with them....but then again I dont' see to many different types of dancers up here alaska unless they are with our dance troupe..so................ I could tell you who I bought mine from and where though if you want.

[wyo_rose]

Originally posted by Blackbear
That's ok Wyo Rose...I have a T-shirt (actually the one I am wearing in my avatar) with the tree of peace on top of a snapping turtle's back (has to do with our creation story but won't go into detail here). Our big Otoe/osage friend of ours up here said... is there REALLLLLY a turtle with a tail like that??? And I was like...uh yeah , a snapping turtle. He had never seen a snapping turtle before or heard of one LOL! I found this funny cause he was one of the first people to see my snapping turtle rattle when my cousin sent it to me.

Now I'm gonna have to go look up a pic of a snapping turtle.:p