bustle construction

[crowvisions]

how do i make my bustle colapsable? also how would i attach the trailer to the base of the back pannel?

[jmm]

bustle construction

To attach your trailer to the back of your bustle base, I have my trailer sewn on a small diameter dowel rod, not too small
you don't want it to break, and on the base I have two holes on each side of the base, use a thong to attach it. As for making your bustle collapasable, my top left and right spikes come out of the bustle base. The lace in the middle of the
bustle is attached by fishing snap swivels so they can be unattached to the spikes for storage. Once the spikes are unattached from the bustle base, I gather the rest of the bustle still attached to the base and place it in the storage box.

hope this helps

[scottlollar]

Mine's a swing-style bustle. It has 4 'wings' that attach individually to the backboard, which is just a 6" x5" piece of wood with two dowels joined to it at the top (at a slight angle). Each set of feathers (or wing) has a shoelace running through the bottom of the feather and that shoelace goes through holes on teh board in two places - one high, one low - and ties on the inside(closest to my back. the spike has another shoelace running through it which ties to the dowels at the top of the backboard. When I put it away, I take each set of feathers off individually, roll it up, and put the bundle in my plastic box.
If you do it right, you can get an awful lot of feathers in one box without damaging any of them...
Good luck!

[crowvisions]

i think i follow you guys for the most part. do you know of any websites that might help me?

[spottedeagle]

There are directions in the book Northern Traditional Dancer. You can also buy kits from Crazy Crow and NOC Bay. Noc Bay is nice because you can order Online. I noticed a lot of people use plywood bases. I used Latigo, like you use for belts and mac soles. Alot more comfortable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another trick I know (sheesh giving away all my secrets now) Is the large (not huge though) fishing swivels. Tie a barrel swivel to your uprights then tie a snap swivel to the lace that runs through your feathers. When you need to colaaspe it, just unhook them.

[crowvisions]

yup have the book. don't really understand the directions. i can't even understand missouri river patterns. that's usually why i just look at things and figure out an easier way to do it that works for me. so how do you keep the feathers that actually make the bustle (the U shaped bustle like the one from the link on the home page, not swing) on the back board? if you only have them hooked to the uprights, wouldn't the rest of it move from side to side on the back board as you dance?

[sutton's dad]

they are supposed to move a little bit. that's what makes a good looking bustle. if you tie the upper most feathers in the "u" to the uprights tight enough, the "u" will not close, but sway while you're dancing. gives you more movement as a dancer.

[crowvisions]

aahhh i see. good idea. my second row of feathers i was going to put on, i want them to move more freely. kind of like a bird's wings as i dance. so i won't tie them as tightly.

[spottedeagle]

Another idea that may help you out that was talked about here a while back is that when you put your mirror or rosette in the center, attach a film container to your base and then attach your center piece to that. It will give your feathers some movement, but will prevent it from closing in half on you.

[crowvisions]

well, as i choose to do things little or no people do with their regalia, my center piece was going to be something my girlfriend gave me. it's made out of plastic, and as it's not "traditional" per se, i'm using it to honor my girlfriend in a particular way.

[scottlollar]

Do we dare ask?

[crowvisions]

ok smarty pants:) get your mind out of the gutter!! she works at an educational center for disturbed kids. not mentally handicaped, but more unruley. like the kind that's too out of control for the parents to handle themselves. there are also kids there who are sex offenders and pyros. anyway they had arts and crafts time or whatever, and she made me this thing for me out of plastic. you put the tube beads on a form, put some kind of film over it and press the colors together with a clothes iron. it melts the plastic. so i thought it would be a good center piece.

[scottlollar]

ROTFLMAO! I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way!
Now, I can't stop lauging.
I know the type of artwork you're talking about. I don't know what they are called. And I think that's a great idea for a center piece, now that you mention it. It's stiff, but will still be able to give a bit to allow the feathers to move.

But, no, I didn't mean to imply I thought, well, umm, I'll let it go now. I'm too busy laughing...
:D

[spottedeagle]

From the way you described it sounds like it would work good. I'd just attach it to the top of the film canister.

[crowvisions]

sounds good. just have to find an old canister laying around.

nia:wen


crow