Bustles

[Dakota Wica'hpi Ina]

I'm looking for help to make a bustle. One of the things I can't figure is how to do the star when you wrap the dowel rods or whatever use use to extend the feathers. I also wanted to know if it would be considered improper to use my husband's firefighter patch in the center instead of a beaded medallion. Any help would be appreciated.

[Joe's Dad]

Is it a traditional bustle? (or should I say, a bustle for a traditional dancer?)

Depends on how many feathers you have per side and how many points you want on the star. Trial and error will eventually get you there. I find that using colored electrical tape (like they sell at Hope Depot and auto parts stores works well.) Draw lines like a bustle on paper according to the number of feathers you have per side. you'll prolly have about 3 points Per side. At your high point, put a piece of tape. Tape next feather/extender just below previous feather. Fourth feather should be your lowest point. Start back up next feather same way as going down. Should have about seven feathers in a 'V'. Continue until you run out of feathers! Tape comes in handy cuz you can move it to suit you. Wrap feathers with yarn from Wal-Mart. (this is the NDN way!lol) Try to find tape same color as the colors you are using.

Hope I thoroughly confused you.j/k

[andre]

I have seen some nice tape jobs. Super glue will be a necessity if you only do tape. I'll see if I can dig up any pictures of stars for you.

[Dakota Wica'hpi Ina]

Is it a traditional bustle? (or should I say, a bustle for a traditional dancer?).....

Hope I thoroughly confused you.j/k

You think I'm gonna wear it??? j/k j/k
Yes it is a traditional dancer's bustle for my son. What about the Firefighter Patch?

[Joe's Dad]

You think I'm gonna wear it??? j/k j/k
Yes it is a traditional dancer's bustle for my son. What about the Firefighter Patch?

It's my opinion that it's best to ask your husband.


JD

[andre]

http://www.powwows.com/galleries/sho...cat=515&page=1
http://www.powwows.com/galleries/sho...o=7161&cat=506

Patch should be okay as a centerpiece. I can't see anyone having a problem with it. <-- I assumed you had already asked your husband.

[Dakota Wica'hpi Ina]

thanks guys. It was my husband's idea for the patch. Just wanted an opinion on it.

[Dakota Wica'hpi Ina]

New question-
How do I keep the bustle from "collapsing" on itself? Pull the feathers closer together or what? How close is too close? Yikes!

[Dakota Wica'hpi Ina]

And what do I use to space them apart and keep them that way?

[andre]

Too close? NO SUCH THING... I have found that the best looking bustles actually have feathers in as bad a condition as every other bustle. The secret is to make it thick. I know you're dealing with a young guy here, and you don't want to make a new bustle for him every year or two. I would say between 2 and 3 pony beads 4-6" from where the feathers are attached would be a good place to start. I would suggest laying it out on the floor before you poke holes and checking to see how it looks. Remember, when you actually thread it, the bustle will cone a little bit (the spikes will then come a little closer together as will all the feathers) and you will have more of the circle than when it was laying flat (confused?) I wish I had a bustle so I could collapse it and post pictures for you.

I know some folks that used an old frisbee that they cut to fit behind their centerpiece. When they put their centerpiece in, the extenders are held in place and the bustle doesn't fold or collapse on itself. Are you planning to have spikes that are permanently attached to the backboard (ie like beaded dowel rods or something to attach the feathers to to hold them)?

[Privateer6]

My centerpiece is a CD with a POW/MIA sticker on it. To prevent my bustle from collapsing while dancing, I attached a film canister to the back of the CD. The canister/cd combination are the perfect sizes to allows the bustle to move as you do while dancing without the bustle completely folding over or collapsing. Hope this helps.

[pennacook]

My centerpiece is a CD with a POW/MIA sticker on it. To prevent my bustle from collapsing while dancing, I attached a film canister to the back of the CD. The canister/cd combination are the perfect sizes to allows the bustle to move as you do while dancing without the bustle completely folding over or collapsing. Hope this helps.

Great idea GJJudd -- I might have to try this out. I am always worrying about the wind blowing the wrong direction while I'm dancing and the bustle folding over.

[Dakota Wica'hpi Ina]

for the star pattern tape or wrap as shown (courtesy 2Eagles)

[contemptradish]

My centerpiece is a CD with a POW/MIA sticker on it. To prevent my bustle from collapsing while dancing, I attached a film canister to the back of the CD. The canister/cd combination are the perfect sizes to allows the bustle to move as you do while dancing without the bustle completely folding over or collapsing. Hope this helps.

That's exactly what I do too, GJJ. Let's hear it for independent innovation! (YAY) Anyway, the one problem (since I have a big bustle and the loop of feathers is really long) a big gust of wind would force the bustle to pop up over the center piece on one side, then it would get stuck flat.

SO, what I do is take the shoe lace ends from the center piece, after I've already knotted it, and run them through another set of holes towards the edge of my backboard and loop them out and around my hanging loop of feathers, then tie those ends back through the backboard. Does this make any sense at all? I do it somewhat loosely, so the feathers can move very freely but it'll never fold in half.

If anyone cares, I can post a picture of it.

laters.

[Privateer6]

Dakota Wica'hpi Ina,
Is that your son's bustle you made on your website? If so, looks good!