Feathered fringe

[Tom]

here is a link to Azted dancer in the items for sale there is a dress with feathered fringe, interesting..
www.tlanextli.com/index.html

[Linda]

Hmm, interesting. That looks like a line of stitched hackles sewn to the bottom. You can buy sewn hackles at Crazy Crow and other craft suppliers. It seems denser to me than what would hang right at the bottom of a skirt. But it does work along the edge of a tunic, as in this dress.

I still don't know how feathers could fringe a skirt. It seems impractical. The feathers would be getting too much rough treatment, sitting on them, etc. They wouldn't hold up.

[Tom]

Some where in the Va web sites I did see a playing card ? or something with an image (very early) from Va of an native person with feathers tyed onto a fringed skirt? and that maybe the clue feathers tyed into the fring and not feathers making up the fringe.
When I have time I'll try and find that image.

[Linda]

Interesting, that is what I was picturing in my head -- feathers dangling from something. maybe some thin hemp that's tied every 1/4" to the hem, then pierced through the quill and wrapped around it.

I have been thinking about it, though, sewing some of those sewn hackles to a little attached cape like the Chitamauga woman has would be very appropriate, considering that feathered capes were so common here.