I have been asked more than once how I started using porcupine quills. The short answer is that I was really really bored. The story behind that started the summer of 2012. I traveled to Alasked via ferry. I slept on the deck of the ship in my tent. I did tie the tent to the railing to keep it from blowing over. Thus started my adventure of 'Summer In Alaska.' and what a great summer it was!!!
One of the things I did while there was to house sit for my friend Heidi and her hubby. He is a bush pilot and needed to fly his helicopter to Idaho for maintenance. I stayed behind in their home in the Alaskan Interior to house and dog sit. The dogs were hunting dogs, German wire hairs. At some point while alone up on Becker Ridge I needed an adventure. So I borrowed the suv and went down into Fairbanks. While there I got my hands on some porcupine quills. I made another stop to a craft store for findings and returned 'home'. I did not immediately start experimenting but did some putzing around the house. It wasn't long though before Ilsa the younger dog was hysterically tearing through the house and frantically chasing a scent. I had the door to the outside open as I was instructed. So there I stood wondering what had gotten into the house??? I had a bear incident (minor) on Douglas iIsland and was still not used to not being at the top of the food chain. Panic!! What is it? Where's the gun?? Wait, I dont know how to shoot!! Aaaaiiieeeeee
Ok, so she just smelled quills and hates porcupines. Smelling the quills convinced her that a minion of Satan, a porcupine, had gotten into the house. I am not sure hate is a strong enough word actually. One had wandered into the yard once and one snoot full of quills and porkies and Ilsa were enemies for life.
Given that, all of my quilts are soaked and sterilized in alcohol. I don't want your dog to freak out too :D
My original inspiration was the quill jewelry made by the Athabascans. I did not copy their design but made my own of course. And as for the 'sleeping on the deck of the ship' adventure, I made a short video and it's on my website Gypsypipergirl.com