I Need a little Advice..........HELP!!!!

[sltate]

The white cornmeal works really good. It is not as time consuming as the chalk balls and does not leave a chalky residue(did you ever have a buckskin dancer accidently brush by you and your are left with a white smudge?). There are times I have used the cornmeal and the baby powder(pure cornstarch) together. First I rubbed the buckskin down with the cornmeal and when I felt that it was clean enough then I used the mixture to whiten it and them brushed it clean. I have also used plastic "chore girls) to get the spots out. Lots of elbow work, but I wouldn't suggest the washing machine unless you have a whiteman tanned dress that can be washed. If it is brain tanned or smoked....get busy with the elbow work. My dress is elk hide and very sturdy to work with. I also have a deer skin dress and it is harder to work with because it is thinner. Good Luck!!

[katezninen]

from my experience i would stick with those little balls you get out of crazy crow

[kogeek]

I always stick to white corn meal and chalk balls
washing the leather can leave spots< from my experince

[Miss_Kiowa]

I use a mixture of uncooked instant grits and corn starch. It's messy, but worth it because the grits rub the dirt out and the starch whitens a little.

Originally posted by superndngyrl
hey if anyone tries the washing thing be sure and post it!

I have washed my "under dress". Had no choice but to get it clean... gawd! Talk about getting grey hair untill the wash was done Came out really wet, and had to let it fully dry. Fringe was none the worse, though not as "fluffy" as it once was. Just have to roll them in your hands, and they are almost as good as new. ( Underdress was cloth with buckskin fringe)

[Blackfeetwonderwoman]

I need a little Advice....THANKS MOM!!!

Originally posted by webscouter
This is taken from Goliger Leather Co. http://www.goligerleather.com/

I haven't tried it but it may work for you. If you get brave and try it let us know how it works.


Hope this helps. Like I said I haven't tried it.

My skirt of my buckskin dress was suffering from being outside in the dust. I think the chair I also used one weekend didn't help it either. The aluminum ones that fold up, seem to do a number on buckskin. I decided I really needed to clean it up. Before this I'd always used baby powder, chalk, or sandpaper. I asked the guy my family bought the hides from and he said use WOOLITE!!! I asked him if he was sure it worked and he told me he was....

It took me about 2 weeks to get the courage to try...HA!!! It didn't work now the skirt about 4 inches too short. I did this the 4th week of August, school was going to start in a day or two and what am I to do???

Thank goodness for my MOM!!! She finished another skirt for me this past week and I'll never do it again! Thanks MOM for all YOU have done for me. She made the dress when I was in my mid-20's and I'm still wearing it today at the great age of 47!

Stick with the other ideas mentioned here, watch out for the chair you use and I would avoid WATER and WOOLITE.

[oOoSouthernStyozoOo]

I also think it can be messy

[oOoSouthernStyozoOo]

I heard you can use baby powder

[Kakeeya]

I take the fringe off my dress and take them to the dry cleaners. My fringe comes back pretty and white then I sew them back on again. However, I wouldn't recommend taking beadwork to the cleaners as the chemicals could harm the threads and the beadwork will start coming off. Taking fringe to the cleaners isn't so bad, they need to be replaced every once in a while anyway, beadwork is a lot harder to replace than fringe. :)

[*Kwe_Zee*]

What type of hide?

What type of hide is best in your opinion? elk? Deer? Moose? Rabbit.:p jk.

[superndngyrl]

i have noticed that my front medallions have started coming off so I don't know if its a result of the gas or being an old dress... I have had it for almost 13 years now but it still looks good... the rest of beadwork seems unaffected... Its a southern buckskin.

[MoonCrow]

Bursh it out with a regular bristle brush. It has always worked for me.

MoonCrow

[luvstraightdancrs]

Superndngyrl--Heard about this before but never knew anyone that tried it. Doesn't it affect the beadwork? We have a very old dance bag that was in a flood, full of dirt and dried mud. Hubby would like to use it but only if clean and pliable. Was told to use the white gas but have been too afraid to try it.

Do you think it would work on this old bag? It also has quill work on the fringes - would it be hurt if I did this?

[superndngyrl]

oh yeah!! We use white gasoline. u can get it at a hardware store... it soaks up the dirt and evaporates out and the dress stays soft.

U just pour it into a tub
Dip the dress and rub it in the spots where its really dirty
Hang to dry

Make sure you're not barbecuing that day or smoking near it. Could lose your dress, house, and everythign else nearby...

It works!

[lsijohn]

Something else that cleans really well is corn meal. :)