by Ussama Qadri

Created on: February 01, 2010   Last Updated: February 02, 2010

How to make wampum belts

Wampum belts are as old as the Native Americans. The shell studded belts are associated with honor and prestige of the local people. The two types of the shells used for making original wampum belts were white whelk and dark whelk. Both of these were beaded together to form the beautiful and traditional wampum belts worn by the tribal elders.

You must have a design to follow to make a wampum belt, the initial wampum belts were made on a rustic pattern that was memorized by the wampum belt maker. Each bead symbolized something important in the history. You can make a wampum belt on your own by following the given tips:

Draw a sketch of the design you want your wampum belt to be like. You can either copy a traditional design or create a new one on your own. Since you are a beginner we suggest go for a simple design that is easy to follow. You can draw the design or to make it further simpler color a graphic paper according to the design you want your wampum belt to be like. a wampum belt made on the pattern of the ancient design can be used for decoration, too. You can get ancient wampum belt designs from museums and history books.

If you can not afford to get seashells you can also go for plastic or wooden beads for making a wampum belt. You can make a wampum belt of whatever width or length you like but the wider or longer it is the more work it requires.
Get a thread, dental floss or twine for making a wampum belt.

One bead should be knotted so that it does not fall off and another piece of twine should be attached to it in which a bead should also be knotted.
The longer twine should be threaded into the bead and the shorter twine should also be attached to the same bead to make it one end of the wampum belt.

Make the length and width by following this technique and you will have a whole structure to build.

Now thread the beads in both long and short twines and making a pattern out of the beading. Be prepared to spend plenty of time and be patient and you will be rewarded by a pattern you have gone for made into a belt of beads. 

Learn more about this author, Ussama Qadri.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.