Costume Panels for American Tribal Dancers

• Yarn panels using a Lark Head knot
• Ribbon panels

Plan your layout and determine how many strands of yarn you will need by cutting a dozen short pieces of yarn and looping them with lark-head knots around the elastic.

• Worsted-weight yarn will need 6 strands for each inch of panel desired.
• Use one-inch wide elastic, black.
• Cut yarn strands 60-inches long for a mid-calf panel.
• Jewel tone colors with a bit of black yarn is always a good tribal look.

Make your panel(s):

1. Cut a piece of 1" no-roll elastic that will fit around your hip with 2“ extra for overlap.
2. Cut pieces of yarn that are twice the desired length of the panel plus 4“
3. Fold a piece of yarn in half.
4. Slip the loop under the elastic so it pokes out an inch or two below the bottom of the elastic.
5. Thread the two ends through the loop. (This is your Lark Head knot.)
6. Tighten.
7. Finger-comb and hang over night.
8. Trim.
9. If desired, put a very tiny knot at the end of each yarn strand to prevent ravelling.

Plan your layout and determine how much ribbon you will need by placing small pieces of ribbon next to each other. Example sizes:

1. Groups of 5 grosgrain ribbons (3 5/8 “ribbon, 2 “3/8 ribbon) will be 2.75“ wide per group;
2. Groups of 2 grosgrain ribbons (1 5/8 “ribbon, 1 “3/8 ribbon) will be 1“ wide per group;
3. Individual ribbons 5/8“ wide.