BONE JEWELLERY

Birch Bark Baskets
	Product Characteristics Factors Affecting Price	Produced anywhere in Canada where birch was available. More common to the Dene of Northwest Territories and Ojibway of South Central Canada.

	Traditionally, the most common material for utilitarian products.
	Birch Bark is rot resistant.
	Birch Bark is waterproof.
	Birch Bark is malleable.
	Birch Bark takes well to stitching and application of saps, glues resins and paint.
	Main usage were for cooking (placing hot stones in the basket, along with the stewing meat, a hot meal can be prepared).
	Birch Bark is cut to appropriate size and then sewn together with roots, thread or sinew.
	Sap is used to cover any openings to maintain waterproofing.
	Birch Bark is gathered only in the spring when removal does not harm the trees.

Round Birch Bark Basket

Birch Bark Basket with Quills

	Size of basket (larger is more expensive due to labour).
	Watertight containers are more expensive than open containers due to the extra work involved in preparing the bark and sewing materials.
	Decorations on baskets.

EMBROIDERY

	Porcupine quills can be applied to add value. More quills generally increase price.
	Spruce root can be applied for very coarse stitched outline patterns. This process increases price but is less expensive than porcupine quill work

PAINTING OF BASKET

Depends on artists

SCRAPING

	Process whereby some of the layers of bark are scraped away to make a design.
	Negative Design refers to work created when the image is scraped away.
	Positive Design refers to work created when the bark surrounding the desired image is scraped away and results in a raised image.

ENGRAVING

	Designs scratched into the bark add value to the basket.
	The addition of plants or other grasses adds value to basket but depends on the labour involved in gathering, amount and design.
	Spruce roots (most expensive)
	Sinew (less expensive)
	Thread, floss or artificial sinew (less expensive again)
	Wood (less expensive) sweat grass (more expensive)