The completed belt
The Mohawk Indians traditionally made their belts from wampum beads they hand carved from quahog shells. The most famous, the Akwesasne Wolf Belt dating from the late 1700s, is among the tribe's cultural treasures. The belt shows two leaders shaking hands with a wolf at either end. The directions here allow you to create a belt quickly without re-creating the Wolf Belt's intricate beading. By using rough fabric and a marker, you can make a belt similar to a Mohawk belt in spirit and style.
Instructions
1. Get a piece of burlap long enough to fit your waist in the width you prefer. Measure it, leaving a few inches between ends. Cut the burlap the size you want.
2. Lay the burlap flat. In order from end to end, the pattern features alternating rows of stripes, one wolf, two leaders, one wolf and alternating rows. Using the pattern included here, draw alternating rows near both ends with your marker to simulate beads.
3. Draw a wolf at either end using the pattern. The drawing need not be precise. The original design was simple.
4. Sketch the leaders shaking hands in the center of the belt following the pattern.
5. Knot the end of the string, and thread it through the eye of the needle. Put the needle through the end of the belt. Tie two 6-inch-long strings at the top and bottom ends of the belt. The two strings go in separate holes with a small space in between them. Do this on both ends of the belt so you can tie it. You'll have eight strings when you're done, with four at either end.
Tags: alternating rows, both ends, ends belt, leaders shaking, leaders shaking hands
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