Repairing wings

Safran

Safran

New member
It has been quite the past weeks - it seems all my dance stuff is falling apart at the same time. I wonder if there is an astrological disposition or something like that going on :lol:

Anyways, by the time I got on stage for my first show yesterday, I discovered that the seam edging my wings has ripped off. There is about 70cm of it loose, so there is no chance of a quick fix. I also can't just cut off the seam and have the edge as it is, because the wings will start to "unravel". I tried heating the edge to melt the threads together, but figured out quickly that it is a rather life-threatening tactic (On a different note - I now know what to do the next time I want to do something terribly dramatic on stage ;))

So, does anyone have experience with this? Should I just get an overlock and hope that the new seam won't come loose again? Or does someone have a more clever idea?
 
Daimona

Daimona

Moderator
As far as I know, unfortunately there are no quick fix (the quickest fix is to buy new ones, but it doesn't fix the old ones). You don't need to get an overlock - my golden lame wings that I inherited from an Egyptian friend are sewn with zig-zag stitches and looks good.

Get yourself a very sharp needle, gently fold the new edge twice and sew it by hand.
Eventually put on some very narrow iron-on bias tape before you fold and sew it (I got idea from Shanazel in the http://bellydanceforums.net/dance-costumes/13111-official-costume-making-tips-thread.html). If it ravels heavily already and iron-on bias tape isn't available, you may consider using some uncolored textile glue as well, but do try it out on some hidden part to see how the glue goes with the fabric (some glues get yellow others are transparent).



I've got a different problem with my wings and need good ideas to prevent the sticks tearing holes in the fabric of the pockets? I know Ayshe uses separate pocket reinforcements, but don't know how she makes them and of what material they are made.

So far I've added two small pieces of Velcro at the end of the pocket to easily change the sticks (I've got more wings than good sticks), but the fabric (organza) tears too easily. For a quick emergency backstage fix I've sewn in the sticks on both ends, but this isn't good in the long run.
 
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Darshiva

Darshiva

Moderator
I made some reinforcement pockets for my translucent wings out of a thick white stretch fabric (aka, what I had lying around that would match the wings & disguise the sticks) Just turn the fabric inside out, sew a tube and sew one end together. When you turn it right side out, use the stick to help you.

One of the first things I do with all my new wings is to unpick the stick pockets so I can remove the sticks. This helps protect the stick pockets whilst they are not being used. I also stitch a line of thread a couple of centimetres (about an inch) up so that that will fail first in a performance & I won't lose my sticks during a performance.

When the neckline fails (which it will) hem it up so that it sits evenly on you with your arms outstretched. So for me this means that if it's in the middle the whole thing gets a little shorter, but if it's along the outer edges, the opposite side gets a little shorter as well.

As for when the bottom hem fails, well I've never been able to repair that properly so when that happens, the wings become student practice props. Students are a lot less worried about damaging a pair of wings that are already obviously patched & repaired, so they pick up technique faster. Oh and nobody wants to pinch a pair of damaged wings either. Win all round!
 
Safran

Safran

New member
Thanks for the ideas! Thankfully, a pair of wings I ordered before the problem happened, arrived today, so I am safe today. I guess I'll try to find the sewing machine, which is at the laundry department and see what it is capable of. Or, I get to spend a nice few hours on my balcony hand-stitching :)

As to prevent the sticks from falling out - I took the lazy way. I just put staples to the end, criss-crossing each other, and so far it has worked. And as for the collar - as the velcro will end up wearing out eventually, I don't even try to close it around my neck, I just wrap the end of the collar around the neck strap of my bra.
 
A

allinorah

Member
I had issues with my sticks coming out of my wings when I first got them and I had to repair the wholes a few times. I ended up replacing the sticks with these and I put the handle at the end so that there is a less pointy end on the organza.
 
Safran

Safran

New member
This is clever, allinorah. On another note, there is an overlock machine in the hotel, and the lady said that she will fix my wings for me herself (I guess she just didn't trust me around the machine :p). I will get my wings back fixed and nice tomorrow! :dance:

But, on the topic of sticks - who prefers the plastic ones? I danced with them yesterday, and realised one again, that they are not my cup of tea... they bend, they break, the leave shatters around. Ok, when we did group numbers in Egypt, and the stages were sometimes very small and/or uneven, then the plastic sticks were safer... But they are just too unreliable for me.
 
Darshiva

Darshiva

Moderator
I replaced all of mine with dowell. Cheap, easy to fit to size and the right combination of flexible and strong. Downside is that for transparent wings I need to make a protective sleeve to disguise the wood, but even so...
 
Daimona

Daimona

Moderator
I've replace the black plastic tubes that came with the wings and easily breaks and shatter with clear plastic sticks from Ayshe (apart from the hooked end, they look a bit similar to allinorah's PVC rods). The wings move a lot better and are in general much more pleasant to handle. Unfortunately the edge is quite sharp, and this is what makes them tear holes in my wings (though, the big black ones did it much faster).

Hm... If I ever replace or demount my old blinds, I know what to use the pvc stick for...
 
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A

allinorah

Member
I've actually only used the plastic ones. My wings came with metal rods and I've got the iridescent/"soap bubble" kind (hence the clear plastic rods). I might have used some wooden ones in one of my classes, but I just practice all the time with the plastic ones. I've only had one time when they broke and they broke cleanly (I knocked them together during a move and I heard a snap!).
 
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A

allinorah

Member
I think I purchased my wings from MoonDance and it came with metal rods. I played with a few times before I got my plastic ones and the rods went right through.
 
Safran

Safran

New member
I have nothing constructive to add today, I just want to rant :lol:

So, I ordered a new pair of wings from Egypt and figured that I can use them today. Already when the wings arrived, they were a bit shabby - there isn't a straight or finished seam, and the collar is way too tight. Well, I can live with that. But today I wanted to remove the plastic sticks to replace them with my own, and guess what - they are sewn in. As in, there is no opening to get them out. So this will all take a whole lot of time...

Next time, I swear, I'll just save up and get a pair of wings from this lady Wings of Isis Ayshe Wings Silver Metallic Lame Costume Dance BellyDance | eBay
 
Darshiva

Darshiva

Moderator
quick unpick takes 10 minutes on each seam to loosen enough of the stick sleeve to remove the sticks. Don't bother tacking the stitching, it won't unravel.
 
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