nascarboys3

I was gifted my buckskin dress. It had no bead on it all and has really short fringe on the sleeves. I want to add long fringe, but do not know how without making it look bad. I am also in the process of beading pieces that I will add to my shoulders so that they are fully beaded. Any suggestions on how to add the fringe? Also I want to change my breastplate so that it goes down the back part way also. Right now it goes to my waist in the front only. I have a piece a pendleton that goes around my neck, but it still pulls alot due to the weight. Is there a way to add the back part without taking the whole thing apart? THanks for any suggestions! Oh yeah and one more thing, how do I make leggings for this outfit. My old ones went with a black wool dress, but they do not look good with my buckskin dress. I actually did not make my other ones. They were made out of purple pig skin. THanks again for any and all help!
Ellie

SuzzeQ4

You can cut your fringe on one lone strip, leavin between an inch & half an inch at the top. punch 2 rows of holes os the top. Punch matching holes olong the sleeves & lace them on. This could look decorative. Or you can punch the holes along the sleeve edge & cut individual pieces of fringe & tie each one on (in this case each fringe needs to be twice the desired length)

There are lots of ways to make leggings. The easiest is a rectangle (just wider then the widest width of your calf). Cut the corner of each bottom edge of the rectangle off (the piece being cut off should be a triangle shape; not to big). cut a lining to match if your using cloth & edge in binding tape. put elastic at the top (to fit snug around your knee). Decorate. Sew together from top of legging, ending at the top of the cut off portion. If using buckskin leggings edge with lacing (wrapped around edge in a whip stitch) and lace middle seam together.

Suzze

lakota mom

when i make fringe for a tradish top i use elk or deerskin. measure the sleeve, then cut your hide to match the length. i leave about an inch and half at the top and sew in a length of velcro, then fringe the hide. sew the other part of the velcro into the sleeve of the dress, then attach the fringe. this way you can use the fringe on a variety of tops and dresses. hey elk is expensive! i had 3 different tops that i did this with and now i make all make daughters tradish regalia like this. bonus, when it's hot you can take it off, put it back on when you need it.

Czechy

Hmmm... velcro. Interesting idea.

To cut your fringe really straight, use a rotary cutter and a long metal straight edge or ruler. As the others here have said, don't cut all the way to the top. Leave a margin.

Sew on by hand with right sides together using an overcast stitch. Or butt the two edges together and sew by machine using a leather needle and a wide zigzag stitch. Only use the latter if you will be covering the seam with a lane of lazy stitch beadwork.
Those are my suggestions.....

lakota mom

sorry to tell you but if you're gonna try to make this a southern style breastplate, then you are gonna have to get more bone and reconstruct the whole thing, especially if it only goes to your waist right now. you'll probably need to get more belt leather for the strips and of course some more sinew. yeah, basically you have to redo the whole thing. sorry. unless some else has a better idea. and if you're gonna update the buckskin, then you might as well go all the way and redo the breastplate and make the matching leggings too. this way you're kind of making it your own regalia while still honoring the person who gave it to you by using it. good luck.