Parfleche project

I am needing something to do this summer and want to find small projects that my students can try in the new class. Decided I will make a parfleche envelope for starters and found an easy set of instructions on the web. Sadly, my local Tandy store closed and sheets of rawhide have really increased in price, but this web idea calls for soaking and opening up a dog chewie...so a cheap one is currently soaking overnight in tupperware on my kitchen counter. I have bigger sized bones, but will start small. I also ordered a book with design patterns from Crazy Crow and will need to order powdered paints or paint cookies. Found some great info on the painting process from a site that specializes in repairing and replicating historic museum items.

Parfleches served mobile Plains people as containers for clothing, food etc and come in many sizes & shapes. Here is an old Cheyenne example of the envelope.

Modern examples are more decorative art...I like fringe and I will try to get Pendleton blanket fabric remnant instead of the very expensive trade wool for the edges. Strips sell on ebay for $5 and should offer enough fabric for this project.

I like the idea of making miniature ones for my dolls so will save all the bits of dog bone rawhide that get trimmed away. This seems like a simple fun project that students can do for little money and yet learn about hidework, some designs & painting techniques and have something unusual to show for the effort. Perhaps some students will want to move on to a larger box: