Bingo_Orphan

Anyone ever consider using plastic extenders for a bustle frame instead of wooden dowels?

You can...

The plastic tubing is actually tubing you can buy at Home Depot in the Refrigeration department. Six rolls should be adequate for a set of bustles. They don't cost very much.

What you do is measure out how long you need the extension to be. Tip: Measure down, when I made my first set of plastic extension bustles they were WAY too big! Make however many cuts of tubing you need per your spikes.

This also is easier after you've tied your ribbon, flagging tape or horse hair and hackles to the spikes.

Once you have arranged all your spikes, begin by squirting a small amount of Elmers glue in one end and insert one end of the tubing in the spike opening. Wrap some tape (either plastic or masking) and cover the spike. Finish by inserting skinny bamboo skewers into the whole thing to straighten it out. Then you can, of course, you can cover the shaft with anything you want, yarn, tape. Then, tie then all together at the end by poking with a hot awl, or drilling with a small drill bit, then string with a skinny shoe-lace. You do NOT have to make a loop using this method.

You'll find that using plastic is much lighter and gives much more than wood. If it seems like the plastic would bend consider that the frame is NOT where the pressure is located, it's actually up where the upper loop is at the base of the spike webbing. I've had my bustles for 5 years and never have had a problem with them bending.

dancnRoo

I'm in the process of making my busltes now...thats sounds like a good idea, i've seen people take shrink tubing (plastice tubing that shrinks when you heat it) on tradish bustles instead of yarn or tape to wrap the dowels it gives it a smoother appearance.

Bingo_Orphan

Yeah, that's also a good idea. I assume you'd still be using wooden dowels though, and then heat-shrinking the tubing over top(?). ...cool!

Dulasiri

Hey, I make quite a few bustles too and have used both the tubing and the shrink wrap (which is just the best hands down) but I moved away from the tubing cause although it gave me the peace of mind when drilling the holes through it it was still just a bit too flexible for the spikes. but your recommendation to fill them with the skewers (or a dowel or whatever) is just what I needed- THANKS a million! Thanks for helping me "build a better bustle".

Dance on!

__________________
~Beth