Medicine Bag: For the Hippy in Your Life

When I was 10 years old or so, my summer camp secret buddy made me a suede medicine bag. It was pretty cool. Then when I was a college freshman in fashion school, I rediscovered that medicine bag. I still thought it was awesome and started wearing it regularly. But in a room full of fashion majors, not without light-hearted ridicule. Someone even bought me crystals as a gag gift! I put them in my medicine bag and kept on wearing it.

This year, I came into lots of suede. And suddenly Native American paraphernalia is super hip. I thought about making medicine bags, and then mine broke! So it seems I was destined to share my medicine bag with you.

If you want to embroider or bead a design on your medicine bag, this is best done before cutting. I simply drew my design on with black and red sharpie, which can be done at any point!

1. Mark holes around the edge, about a quarter inch apart, on the inside. Puncture these markings through both pieces of suede with the awl.

2. Thread needle, knot a double strand. Start with your knot on the inside and sew back through the top holes again, creating a straight tack.

3. With the two pieces of suede on top of each other, right sides facing out, sew around the edge, passing the needle straight through your awl holes, front to back. This should create diagonal stitches.

4. Snip two vertical holes in the back, and six in the front.

5. Lace the long, skinny neck piece through these holes.

6. Tie, fill with crystals, and wear for good energy and hippy/Native American chic style!