Lakota Made
Lakota Star Quilt (Large) - Cream, Turquoise & Yellow
Description
This star quilt is a handmade, one-of-a-kind piece by Sammie Bordeaux from the Rosebud Reservation! Sammie is a Sicangu Lakota quiltmaker who’s been creating star quilts since the early 1990s, after learning from a Lakota elder. Her work blends tradition with personal creativity—each quilt is machine sewn, made from hand-cut diamonds arranged into the classic star pattern, and completely unique!
- Handmade 82" x 86" star quilt
- Vibrant mix of colors & stunning greens!
- Machine-sewn, hand-cut diamond pieces
- One-of-a-kind artwork by Sammie Bordeaux (Sicangu Lakota)
- Traditionally used in Lakota culture to honor life events and milestones
- Made on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota
Star quilts hold deep cultural significance in Lakota communities. Traditionally, buffalo hides were used as ceremonial gifts—painted and decorated to mark social status, promote healing, and record important life events. But after the near-eradication of the buffalo herds in the late 1800s, quilting was introduced by missionaries, and the Lakota began using fabric to carry on these traditions. The star pattern, with its radiating points and concentric circles, became a powerful replacement for the imagery once painted on hides. Today, star quilts are used in Lakota ceremonies and celebrations—given in honor, in memory, and in love.
Why the circle pattern? Lakota medicine man Black Elk once said: "Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle... Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours. The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle... The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves. Our tepees were round like the nests of birds, and these were always set in a circle, the nation's hoop."
The star quilt is more than just a design—it's a living piece of cultural resistance, resilience, and beauty. Quiltmakers like Sammie are gifted artists who continue this tradition with every stitch!
Sammie creates star quilts for family, friends, and for sale through her business, SammieBordeauxQuilts. You can follow her on Instagram at @SammieBordeaux to see more of her incredible work.
