Faux Fur Hair Ties
The latest must have in Indian Country are Mink hair ties (sometimes Otter is also used) that flow and hang from your braids, almost touching the ground while you dance. For non-natives if you have no idea what I am talking about, these are an adornment to add a stylish element to a dancer's full regalia. Dancer's come together from all over the country and from different tribes in solidarity to pay respect, uphold traditions, honor our people, and enhance one's own and other's well-beings.
The real authentic mink hair ties can be a little expensive and a little sad if they are the actual thing/animal, so I decided to test out the imitation strips and realized they work and look just as good! I don't mind trying new things and actually decided to no longer work with leather or hides and instead work with the artificial alternatives. Haha, did you catch the pun there. I am a Yooper and come from a huge family of hunters! My mom is the women you go see if you need a tribal license plate or need your seasonal bear, deer, and fishing tags! I neither agree nor disagree with hunting, but I do understand it is some peoples livelihoods in our small community. The real reason and the truth is, I work with imitation or artificial leathers, feathers, and furs is because I want to save money! It can be expensive to put together a fully embellished regalia. My jingle dress this passed year costed: $120 in Fabric/Bias Tape/Ribbon/Patterns/Thread, $50 worth of Jingles, and 3 days of intensive labor for just for actual dress (which is below). I am resourceful and I believe as a Native American I was taught to be inventive young. Maybe resourceful isn't just associated with being Native American, but actually associated with growing up poor. I could go on and on about my mother's remedies, made-up meals (due to that all we had in the cupboard), or straight up Rez ideals. That'll be a good upcoming post!
As a traditional jingle dress dancer, you then have the option to enhance your regalia further with accessories: a fan, hair ties, a fluff, earrings, a choker or necklace, a vast, moccasins, leggings, a pouch or purse, barrettes, and/or bracelets. There are many ways to let your personality come through and get creative! Each dancer, male or female, has the choice of what type of dancer you would like to be and this year I felt it was right I jingle dress dance.
I already have the fan, earrings, pouch, fluff, barrettes, and moccasins. Now I really want to add some fancy hair ties, which are an revamped braid cover. Usually you can wrap your braids in leather and fringe the ends, but I think my outfit would benefit from some long dark brown fur.
I already have the fan, earrings, pouch, fluff, barrettes, and moccasins. Now I really want to add some fancy hair ties, which are an revamped braid cover. Usually you can wrap your braids in leather and fringe the ends, but I think my outfit would benefit from some long dark brown fur.
Materials:
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- 2 Stripes of Imitation/Faux Fur (Mine are 4"x 36" each, but flipping them back was so hard so I recommend a 5" width)
The length depends on your personal taste. You can honestly use any fur fabric, it just has to be long and wide enough to create a long cylinder tube shape. - Sewing thread or beading thread, which is silkier- In a similar color to your fur! - Any type of cord (leather thong, suede lacing, string, etc.) to wrap the fur to the braid. - A basic sewing needle - Scissors |
Step One: Trimming your fur to the length you feel comfortable with and if you need to adjust the width as well, do it now! I picked my fur up from Crazy Crow, so it is already precut. I bought one strip (cause that is all I could afford at the time) and then cut it in half. 36" inches happened to be a great length for a woman who is only 5'3" on a good day! I also have some light brown fur I got from JoAnn's that could have also worked just great.
Step Two: Start with one strip at a time and fold the strip inside out the hotdog way. Pin together to help the edges from warping.
Step Three: Take two arm's length of thread and thread your needle. Create a double strand to increase strength and knot the two pieces near the end of the threads.
Step Four: Start sewing the seam by tacking at the very end of the tube (doesn't really matter which end you start at), binding the edges together! MAKE SURE THE FUR IS ON THE INSIDE!
Used white thread to better see the stitching.
Step Five: Close the seam by weaving the needle/thread through the seam creating a cylinder which will become a tube to place a braid in once done.
Used white thread to better see the stitching.
Step Six: Near the end, I tapered the fur by cutting to an angle and creating a nicely finished end to the hair tie. Then continued to sewing the seam up and notting to finish.
Step Seven: Once seam is closed and tacked and knotted (creating a long tube) comes the fur or FUN part! Flipping the tube outside right! This can be a little tricky and finicky, but PUSH THROUGH (it is so worth it) by placing your thumbs in the tube you can carefully roll the fur inside itself and flip it all. Keep pulling the fur for the inside of the tube out!
Step Eight: Rub the nicely finished edge to blend the fur together to get a seamless look. REPEAT 1 THROUGH 8 FOR THE SECOND HAIR TIE!
Don't worry, I am going to seam rip the white and use black again! It's nearly invisible and looks great!
FINAL STEP: Embellish with beaded barrettes or shells. Use the cord to tightly wrap the completed fur straps to each of your braids. You can find really cute shells at Crazy Crow or Nocbay!
I choose a Abalone Discs - 2 Hole, 3" to complete my hair ties!
I honestly am so excited to rock them at powwows! Good thing I have time to finish the other one, we have sometime until the powwow trail is poppin' again. I hope you appreciate the tutorial and please note that this isn't exactly traditional, but it is a contemporary and cheap way to rock fur hair ties!
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