Growth of fancy shawl dancing

[~Jingle Pejuta~]

While the popularity of fancy shawl dancing is still growing, I'm talking about the length of ribbon and fringe. When I first started the normal length was like 14" sometimes 16". Now it seems the norm is over 18" going up to 26"!!

What length do you use and does anyone use regular chainette or flat fringe any more? If they do is it just for old stlye fancy shawl? That's the only time I have seen it lately and even the length of it looked longer than the old 14".

What's your thoughts?

[Lakota Wiyan]

I was making flat fringe shawls for awhile, but now I went back to the old style, chainette fringes. I never did consider the length to much, beyond the difference between a woman's and girl's size, but yeah, I guess they have gotten longer.

[Meggers_018]

I use between 22 and 24 inches of ribbon double over for my shawls. That even seems short compared to some that I've seen. I think a lot of it depends on how tall you are. I'm only 5 foot tall, so mine are shorter than say someone who's 5' 6". I've always been told that the actual shawl needs to go down to about mid-thigh. Other than that with fancy the ribbons can be all the way to the ground. I like to keep mine a little shorter also so that they're not dragging in the dirt and stuff. I'm really fanatical about keeping my stuff as clean as possible.

[dancinfancy]

My fringe is 23 in after I fold it in half and my shawl is a little shorter than mid-thigh, but I'm only 5'3. That works pretty well for me at that length the fringe doesn't quite touch the ground. My main thing is I don't want to step on the fringe while dancing or even just walking. I have kids so sometimes I have to dell with them before I get the chance to take my shawl off and it never falls I always end up stepping on the fringe. A couple of times I have even managed to pull ribbon off. So I don't think I would go any longer than 23 in for any outfits I make in the future.

[Ahinawake]

I'm 5.1" my shawl comes several inches above my knees, and the fringe is just under 15 inches long, so it doesn't quite reach the ground. I like it that way so that I don't accidentally get tangled or anything.

[Kamama]

I'm between 5'7 and 5'9...LOL, maybe that would be about 5'8.... I dont really know how tall I am. Anyways, My ribbon is 27 inches on the new shawl I am working on. I believe the ribbon on my other shawl is about 24 inches.

If youre thinking of using chainette, I would make it a little shorter then the other Ribbon. Because with the chainette, it just seems like its easier to come apart. And it wouldnt be good to get a strand stuck on a twig in the circle, or anything like that.

Good luck with whatever you choose to use!