African Porcupine Quill Laying Tools™
A Crested African Porcupine is quite large, they can grow up to 3 feet long and nearly 2 feet tall. The Porcupine waddles like a duck when it walks and will shake its body like a dog many times throughout the day. Quills will fall out to make room for growth just like shedding.
The myth is that Porcupines shoot their Quills into their enemies, but not so. A Crested African Porcupine flares out his thick sharp Quills like a turkey flares his feathers when trying to impress his lady friend. The Porcupine follows by shaking his body violently which makes an incredible rattling noise like a rattlesnake. He then runs directly towards his enemy, backward, to stick his Quills into the predator. These Quills can become fatal to a Lion or other unfortunate soul who seeks him for a meal.
These Quills are extremely sharp! The Quills have a ‘double blade’ around them beginning about halfway down and spiral to a sharp tip. When the Quills arrive, they are just as they were when they were naturally shed out of the skin. I clean, trim, file, and polish each Quill by hand.
Decorative Tops: I chose to use Lamp Work Glass beads for this project because they have the least chance of fracturing or breaking due to the process in which it takes to make an exceptional Lamp Work Glass Bead. Every bead on top of the Quills is custom made for me and this project. I order each bead from Lamp Work Glass Studios all over the world. I currently buy from designers in Germany, England, Netherlands, Australia, Czechoslovakia, Africa, Iceland, and the U.S.
The accent bead on top of the Lamp Work Glass is usually Czechoslovakian Pressed Glass or Swarovski Crystal.
Many tops are made of Hand Carved Boxwood Beads from the Orient. I only have these in stock
a few times a year. If you see one you like it is best to grab it, you never know if that will ever be
available again.
Don’t let looks be deceiving! Most Quills are not
straight. Many appear wavy or curved but each
has been tested to work as a useful tool. Because,
some are curved, they may work well for some
hands, but not for others. One of the best features
of the Porcupine Quill is that they are giving and
soften with the warmth of your hand. This will make the Quill very comfortable and conform to your hand.
Each Quill has an internal shape and the bead pin, when inserted, needs to follow the shape of the Quill. I cannot fight Mother Nature. The placement of the bead may not look straight but it is following the natural curve of the Quill.
I GUARANTEE MY WORK
These Quills go through quite a bit of stress while being made into a Laying Tool. So much so that it is highly unlikely that one would break during normal use. However, should you ever have an issue with cracking, splitting, or breakage, please return the product to a Needlework shop for a replacement. I will not be able to fix the Quill but I can put a new Quill with the same bead top. If a bead breaks, I might be able to find another of a similar appearance for a replacement.
I hope you enjoy your Laying Tools, I certainly enjoyed making them!
Love You More-
Emily Hennessy
