vintageredesigned Report post Posted June 14, 2012 Hello Group, I am trying to put twisted fringe on a handbag that I am designing and I would like to know all the types/sizes of leather I can use -- has anyone done this before and know what works? Ideally I would like to use colors etc to make the design look better -- but I wasn't sure what type of leather would hold the twist. Thank you so much for your help! Sincerely, Julie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted June 14, 2012 If you are referring to something similar to what you see on Native American regalia... it's deer skin, typically brain tanned... and the fringe is cut in a long spiral.. then stretched. Do you have an example of what you want to do? Maybe that would give us other ideas. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted June 14, 2012 Chrome tan chap leather is the usual. You can either use water, alcohol, or a mix of the two to wet the fringe. Then twist it tightly and let it dry. On the twisted fringe stuff I used to do I would twist three or four up, then use a binder clip on across the ends to hold them in place while they dry. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vintageredesigned Report post Posted June 20, 2012 Thank you for your help! I actually ended up using lamb (I got it cheap on the close out) and it worked great. I twisted it and sprayed it with alcohol & water (like another post listed) and it came out great : ) THank yoU! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChuckBurrows Report post Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) If you are referring to something similar to what you see on Native American regalia... it's deer skin, typically brain tanned... and the fringe is cut in a long spiral.. then stretched. Sylvia - not sure where you are getting you're info from, but that is the least common way to do fringe on Indian clothes and other gear.(BTW - I use Indian because most of my Indian "brothers" - I'm mixed blood - from several tribes, both western and eastern, especially those who still live on the rez, dislike that Native American appellation, including Russel Means - see his Mohican Press interview, and his AIM brothers. Most in fact prefer NDN these days. FWIW - I live on the So Ute rez and in an area, the Four Corners, with the highest concentration of NDNz of any where in the US, including Dine, Jicarilla, and Pueblo along with the Utes). Yes braintan would be the most common leather used in the old days (not the only type used though), but the most common method of making fringe was either self fringed i.e. fringe cut from the same piece as the clothes/gear was made from or an inserted piece that was then fringed as most "whites" do. My info comes from being taught by my brothers and sisters of several western tribes and the actual hands on inspection of thousands of original pieces, including hundreds of pieces with twisted fringe, which is specifically a southern plains style used mostly by the Kiowa, Comanche, Southern Cheyenne, and sometimes Jicarilla. I also make/have made a lot of such gear/clothes including a number of pieces, mostly copies of original pieces, for museum display, when the original is too delicate to be displayed. As for the "best" method and materials - Bruce nailed it for general use on chinks, etc. Old timers gnerally used only water, but with chrome tan leather (deer, elk, sheep, lamb, etc.) either 70% rubbing alcohol or a mix of alcohol and water. For weights like Bruce I use the large binder clips found at any office supply - one clip will hold up to 4-6 fringes. Once twisted and weighted and while still damp, I pull on the fringe to stretch it, which also tightens the twist. for those interested in seeing a bunch of original NDN gear and clothes I recommend perusing the sites: http://anthro.amnh.org/north http://www.splendidheritage.com/nindex.html Edited June 21, 2012 by ChuckBurrows Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted June 21, 2012 Well, hmmm.... see... I'm 1/4 Muskogee Creek and a bit Umpqua... and My niece is 1/2 Wasco, plus the Creek and Umpqua... and is a member of the Confederated Tribes .... this is the way the Wasco does it. I'm sure there is more than one way... but thanks for calling me out and bestowing on me your vast wisdom. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChuckBurrows Report post Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) Not calling anyone out just pointing out that the info you shared was limited. Vast? well I'll leave that up to others to decide for themselves, I make no such claims, but the info I shared is based on 51 years worth of studying the subject in depth of many varied tribes and not just based on one tribes way of doing it - maybe check your attitude and you might just learn something??? Edited June 21, 2012 by ChuckBurrows Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
