Costume Headgear

The following is summarized from posts on the Med-dance mailinglist, which are stored in the Dancer's Archive.

Headwraps

Here are my basic headwrap theories;
Have fun!
Me'ira

Turban #1

Bi-directional. Place center of long rectangle on head. with right hand, twist back and towards head and hold. Do same with left hand. If you're wrapping someone else, have them help you and this works really well. Alternate wrapping & twisting, carrying each piece towards the back and around the front. Neck cover: leave one side unwrapped by about 12-15" or so. bring across front covering neck, and tuck up on the other side. For a man's full turban, you can get 3 yds bubble cotton, cut in two on the length, sew together for 6 ft of material. Better to have more length, or just just as is. For women, I find that more layers are better than a huge bulky headpiece. (plus lots of danglies)

Turban #2

Same as number 1, except leave the length for the neck cover when starting on the right and hold. wrap the length to the left around your head. This works well with smaller rectangle scarves.

Both of these will leave your back neck bare. If you wish to cover, start by throwing on an extra scarf underneath.

Bedouin Scarf

Fold square scarf into triangle, preferably heavy cotton. Sew coin necklace or loose coins & earring onto scarf. Wrap ends as for Turban #1 (needs to be fairly large)

Works well with second scarf underneath. If they are of the same material it will look like one piece and everyone will wonder how you did it.

Crowns

Question:

I've decided that I just *have* to have a "crown"- hopefully you know what I'm talking about, I really can't think of a good way to describe it (big persian-esque jewelled tiara thing? funky jewelled flat hat?) I've seen a few places that sell them... being chronically poor, I'd like to make my own. Has anyone seen a pattern for one of these? Has anyone made one? Has anyone at least *seen* one close-up, so I could get some idea of how to make one?

Thanks in advance,
-Zimra

Answer:

I love making hats - from middle eastern to medieval. Basic tools: 1) wire - smooth steel, 14 ga or lighter as used for clotheslines, 2) firm , stiff material for base covering, 3) decorative material, jewels etc. for exterior. It's also handy if you know how to solder, or can get someone to do that for you.

Also helpful; make a wooden base to hold those foam heads so you can see what you're building. Just insert a 1" dowel into a piece of wood. (husbands are handy for this!)

shape your wire to build the frame that you want. Solder where the ends connect, or just tape them - solder is better because it will last forever. Cover this base shape by handstitching. Build up, or make smooth whatever shape you come up with. When you cover with your final material, you want it to look as smooth as possible.

For a tiara headpiece, support the decorative front piece with a piece of cloth or small bridal cap off the back, and use a piece of elastic coming down from the sides and under your hair.

You can try this on as you go to see if the shape is right.

Me'ira
JOYFUL DANCER

The Perfect Face-Framing Beaded Fringe

by Me'ira, THE JOYFUL DANCER (1996)

(Print the attached chart in a non-proportional font)
Attach the following beaded fringes to a cloth band (Decorated in any way you wish) approx. 14" long and about 1' wide. When all fringe has been applied, attach elastic to both ends to wear.

Color code:

y = pale yellow
o = salmon orange
R = red orange
b = dark "root beer" brown

This uses standard #11/12 seed beads. You may change the color combination, but keep the darker tones at the tips of the fringe and let the paler beads fade out near the face; very interesting effect. IMPORTANT: start applying fringe at the CENTER Here is the left side of the headpiece; reverse rows for the right side and keep going.

Gauge:: approx 6 rows per inch or about 3/8" apart. If you make rows closer together, add duplicate Rows as needed to keep the pattern. Rows are numbered from left to right; Center rows are #35 & #36. Start fringe at center.


Row#             Start here:
2         3         CENTER
5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 ..reverse pattern
y y y y y y y y y y y y    For right center
y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y
o o o y y y y y y y y y
o o o o o y y y y y y y 
o o o o o o o o y y y y
o o o o o o o o y y y y
o o o o o o o o o o y y
o o o o o o o o o o y y
o o o o o o o o o o o o
o o o o o o o o o o o o
r r r o o o o o o o o o
r r r r r o o o o o o o
r r r r r r r o o o o o
r r r r r r r o o o o o
r r r r r r r r o o o o
b b b r r r r r o o o o
b b b b b r r r o o o o
b b b b b b b r r o o o
b b b b b b b r r r o o
b b b b b b b b r r o o
      b b b b b r r o o
          b b b r r r r
              b b r r r
              b b b r r
                b b r r
                b b r r
                b b b b
                  b b b
                    b b
                    b b
                    b b                        
  

LEFT SIDE PIECE:
Row#              1                   2 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y o o o o o o o o o o
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y o o o o o o o o o o
y y y y y y y y y y y y o o o o o o o o o o o o
y y y y y y y y y y y y o o o o o o o o o o o o
y y y y y y y y y y o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
y y y y y y y y y o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
y y y y y y y y o o o o o o r r r r r r r r r r
y y y y y y o o o o o o o o r r r r r r r r r r
y y y y y y o o o o o o o o r r r r r r r r r r
y y y y y o o o o o o o o o r r r r r r r r r r
y y y y y o o o o o o o o o r r r r r r r r r r
y y y o o o o o o o o o o o b b b b b b b b b b
y y y o o o o o o o o o o r b b b b b b b b b b
y y y o o o o o o o o o o r b b b b b b b b b b
y y y o o o o o o o o o r r b b b b b b b b b b
y y y o o o o o o o o o r r b b b b b b b b b b
y y y o o o o o o o r r r r 
o o o o o o o o o o r r r b 
o o o o o o o o o o r r r b
o o o o o o o o o o r r b b
o o o o o o o o o o r r b b
o o o o o o o o o o b b b b
o o o o o o o o o o b b b
o o o o o o o o o o b b b
o o o o o o o o o r b b
o o o o o o o o o r b b
o o o o o o o o o r
o o o o o o o o o r
o o o o o o o o r r
o o o o o o o o r b
o o o o o o o o r b
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o o o r r r r b
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r b b b b b b
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Last Modified: 15 Jun 1997