 My
mother, Velma Jones, taught this woman, Linda Thiry, to do
ribbon work. This is most intricate and she did a very excellent
job. There are seven layers of ribbon she has worked on this
breechcloth of red broadcloth. This is typical Osage ribbon work and is
considered to be almost a lost art. This piece is what would be
called museum quality work. The art was created at a distant time when
ribbon was first introduced from Europe to the Indian people.
Mother's ribbon work goes to the appliqué. Linda's is more to the
geometric setting layer over layer, cutting it in a certain way, folding
and stitching to get the design. Linda joked that her fingers had
blisters on them from working with it. I don't believe it is a
joke. Believe me, this is a master's craft. A strip can sell for 600.00
dollars.
 Linda
is the granddaughter of a full Osage man, Louis Pryor. On the non Indian
side, she is of the Blaylock family, Scottish in the distant past.
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