t-cloth dress?

[short apache girl]

Hello i have not been the powwow circle in awhile due to personal issues. All of my regalias and etc. were taken from me from my x husband. So it has been almost 8 to 9 yrs i haven't danced. I am adopted comanche and i am about 25% apache. not like it matter of the percentage. just info. lol. My adopted people i have lost contact with. I dance comanche cloth. I would like some advice or sugestions on making my cloth dress.
i know its in a shape of a T. I need to know whats the width of the sleeves and lenth? I know the dress also has tabs on the side. I forgot about how long the tabs suppose to be? how to insert the tab when sewing? I am using red silk fabric with red floral embrodiary. Do u use double(linning) fabric or use one single piece of fabric. Its pretty thick material. How do u make the hole for the head? also my old dress has ties at the top where the head went. My mom made all my dresses for me so i don't really know how to make it. and do i measure my self first ? i have lots of questions, but these r the main questions i have. oh measurements about 4' 8'' and kinda heavy. thanks very much for reading.

[wyo_rose]

Make your self a practice dress first from some cheap fabric, before you cut into your nice fabric. You might have to do more than one.

[Czechy]

Sorry to hear your ex was mean enough to take your stuff.
The t-dress is basically made of rectangles. Two long ones for the front and back (or a really long one folded at the shoulders) and a smaller rectangle for each sleeve. Some people make the dress straight and then add separate tabs to the hem. Others who want more room in the skirt will make a gusset (long thin triangle piece) which is inserted into the side seam from under the arm all the way down past the hem. The part that extends beyond the hem makes the tabs.

Instead of trying to figure all this out, you can purchase the Plains Cloth Dress pattern by Missiouri River. They have instructions for making the Comanche style of cloth dress. A search of suppliers on this site or through google will get you lots of vendors. Good luck!

[short apache girl]

Sorry to hear your ex was mean enough to take your stuff.
The t-dress is basically made of rectangles. Two long ones for the front and back (or a really long one folded at the shoulders) and a smaller rectangle for each sleeve. Some people make the dress straight and then add separate tabs to the hem. Others who want more room in the skirt will make a gusset (long thin triangle piece) which is inserted into the side seam from under the arm all the way down past the hem. The part that extends beyond the hem makes the tabs.

Instead of trying to figure all this out, you can purchase the Plains Cloth Dress pattern by Missiouri River. They have instructions for making the Comanche style of cloth dress. A search of suppliers on this site or through google will get you lots of vendors. Good luck!

thanks very much. i made my dress today. i found an old dress that i wore when i was 8. i just traced with pins and cut and sew. the dress i made is satin do u think if i put crowie shells on it will it ruin the fabric?

[Sunktaki]

I think you may ruin the satin, even with the heavy bridal satin it is hard not to get a runner in the fabric, when you sew on it by hand, but a good needle especially for that type of fabric and bias on the back of the rows, may be enough to not let the shells ruin the fabric. I presonally like the crepe backed satin, as it is easier to work with.

[short apache girl]

thanks

sunktaki thanks. i will just trim it with ribbon. ok how do u put long fringe on a cloth dress?

[Sunktaki]

sunktaki thanks. i will just trim it with ribbon. ok how do u put long fringe on a cloth dress?

Fringe???? on the dress??? I have not seen any southern cloth dress with long fringe on it...or are you refering to the buckskin fringe that some have on their fabric top to their buckskin dress....
I know that some uses a fabric top/yoke to their northern traditional, instead of a fully beaded, because of weight, weather etc etc

[short apache girl]

Fringe???? on the dress??? I have not seen any southern cloth dress with long fringe on it...or are you refering to the buckskin fringe that some have on their fabric top to their buckskin dress....
I know that some uses a fabric top/yoke to their northern traditional, instead of a fully beaded, because of weight, weather etc etc

yea i get so many ideas in my head sometimes i can't sleep. lol. ok no fringe on southern cloth dress. i thought i have seen it before or maybe not. thanks again.

[NancyJo]

I haven't seen anyone down here using fringe on their cloth dresses........but check out this video on youtube........at first I thought these 3 girls had their shawls around their shoulders.........but closer look......it's long fringe on their sleeves. Anyone know about this?

YouTube - Lords Prayer Indian Sign Language

[Sunktaki]

I am adopted comanche and i am about 25% apache. not like it matter of the percentage. just info. lol. My adopted people i have lost contact with. I dance comanche cloth. I would like some advice or sugestions on making my cloth dress.

I think the best way for you, as you state you dance Commanche cloth, is to get in touch with someone that is Commanche, as there are other things as well that are different from tribe to tribe...for example the neckline, moccs, etc etc.. It is important to make sure you won't make a potluck dinner of it all, because those Commanche ladies...lol..they know how to open their mouth...lol

did I say that...nope...lol

[short apache girl]

I think the best way for you, as you state you dance Commanche cloth, is to get in touch with someone that is Commanche, as there are other things as well that are different from tribe to tribe...for example the neckline, moccs, etc etc.. It is important to make sure you won't make a potluck dinner of it all, because those Commanche ladies...lol..they know how to open their mouth...lol

did I say that...nope...lol

well r u comanche? lol. I made my dress i rember how just adding the tabs kinda threw me off. my next dress i will make simple . first time sewing a t dress. thank u. i need to invest in some good mocs. I guess with the fringe at the top of leg becuse i am not married.

[short apache girl]

I haven't seen anyone down here using fringe on their cloth dresses........but check out this video on youtube........at first I thought these 3 girls had their shawls around their shoulders.........but closer look......it's long fringe on their sleeves. Anyone know about this?

YouTube - Lords Prayer Indian Sign Language

i saw that video. I like the dresses. i have seen people put fringe on the sleeves.

[wyo_rose]

Northern style cloth dresses have fringe on the sleeves.

Shortapachegirl, you can do whatever you want. You seem to have you mind made up on everything anyway.

[NancyJo]

You won't see the fringe on the sleeves of southern cloth dresses.....you will see it on southern buckskin.
Thanks Wyo Rose, nice to have someone northern to confirm that. I have since noticed in the description of the video that the girls are Ute. Very nice.

[Sunktaki]

well r u comanche? lol. I made my dress i rember how just adding the tabs kinda threw me off. my next dress i will make simple . first time sewing a t dress. thank u. i need to invest in some good mocs. I guess with the fringe at the top of leg becuse i am not married.

No apachegirl I am not Commanche, all I said if you are dancing a certain tribal style then ask them for the correct way to sew the dress, as there are many different styles of dress..

Northern style cloth dresses have fringe on the sleeves.

Shortapachegirl, you can do whatever you want. You seem to have you mind made up on everything anyway.

wyo_rose , you got that right..here we have been trying to give advise, but it has been like talking to the wall...

I see you have posted in many forums, so what are you...a commanche cloth dancer, traditional dancer or jingle dancer...

i know what u mean. not only do u see it at powwows but u can see their faces in pictures on how they look or videos they r so worried on how they look "fixing themselves." yep i am traditonal dancer and traditonal jingle. i think some powwows need to do a pop quiz on some of the flashy dancer @ powwows . lol

i read your answer on fabric. I am using pink cotton and i didn't line it. It is just one dress. i don't want a apron with ties. i just don't care for that style. can i sew the jingles straight on the dress ? will the dress be stong enough? does the underdress look like the top dress? will i need a underdress? don't quit understand what an underdress is for? i just need to know before i go on making my dress. i do plan on making a cape with jingles hanging on the ends. i want to dance traditonal jingle. you did answer my question about making the cape. i just want to say thank u alot. you have been so helpful.

What really confuses me, is that on one post you respond that you are a dancer, on other you don't even know how to make the dresses, both when it comes to southern cloth and jingle,and state you "want" to dance traditional jingle...is that old style you are refering to or contemporary, if you are going to dance old style, are you planning to wear leggings or not...etc etc...

Some Elderly Ladies down here in the south are very critical, and if you are going to have a potluck regalia they will say something. So listen to the advise from people that have been around for a long time, like wyo_rose and Nancy-Jo..
and even better listen to Czechy...Good luck...

Instead of trying to figure all this out, you can purchase the Plains Cloth Dress pattern by Missiouri River. They have instructions for making the Comanche style of cloth dress. A search of suppliers on this site or through google will get you lots of vendors. Good luck!