Cradleboards were used by Indian mothers to keep their infants secure. They were usually made by a grandmother or aunt, or passed down from a family member. Cradleboard making was a ceremonial act, and beadwork and other decorations brought prestige to the family. The frame would usually have been made from willow or other available woods. The most common covering would have been buckskin, but flour sacks, cloth materials and heavy canvas were also used later. Cradleboards varied in construction and form, depending on the tribe and individual. Some of the most beautiful examples of Indian art could be found on decorated cradleboards. Most cradleboards carried an umbilical cord amulet, so the infant could have it as a toy, to carry through life, and to connect with the past and the future.