Thread: Tips/tricks for keeping your scarves tied?

Curious: do you pin your scarves for practice as well as performance?

I pin mine for performance but I tend to just tie for practice. However, some scarves just do not want to stay tied (or they stay tied but they still slide down).

Some scarves I'd prefer not to pin - they are not performance scarves, but I would like to keep them free of holes.

Tips?

I may resort to velcro, heh.

Do you mean hip scarves (coined/beaded)? If so, my recommendation is to use hook/eye closure or snaps and to put a strip of elastic or just some felt or velvet to help it grip if it is made of material that slips. :)

Miramar has a neat trick with the way she ties them. Or maybe she uses a hair tie? Or both? lol Can't remember exactly. Maybe she'll be at the hafla and you can ask her.

For beaded scarves that are chiffon, I found that a trick is to make a small square knot on the material. Ie. instead of taking the ends and tying them, I take hold of 2 small sections of the material on the inside of the beads and knotting them. Easy to see, hard to describe - but that way, none of the beaded edges are involved, so you don't risk shredding the edge and losing beads over time.

When I bought my first hip scarf, the owner of the store showed me how to tie it a certain way. Maybe it's the same as Bella Bella is describing. I don't loop the entire ends into a knot. I take some of the material from the top, just past where it meets around my hips, and tie that into a little double knot.

Originally Posted by Shalimah

When I bought my first hip scarf, the owner of the store showed me how to tie it a certain way. Maybe it's the same as Bella Bella is describing. I don't loop the entire ends into a knot. I take some of the material from the top, just past where it meets around my hips, and tie that into a little double knot.

I think I do the same thing:

I do a half granny knot (overhand knot) first, like the bottom half of this:

Then I do it again, but instead of pulling one end all the way through, I pull an elbow of the fabric through; (Sorry, couldn't find an image.) it forms a loop.

It helps when you're done, to have something to pull (instead of un-knot) that's willing to slip loose easily, instead of having to resort to getting help or pulling it upward off your hips and then over your head. It's also easier on the beads at the end of the ties, which love to get twisted together.

I usually just take the ends of my hip scarf and tie it once, like how I tie my shoe lace. Then, instead of making two loops like with a shoe lace, I only have one. The other part hangs; it looks less bulky than a bow and works with shorter scarves too. It's secure like a double knot, but the one loop makes it easy to untie. I've never had a scarf fall off me.

Another thing that works for me is that I make sure the top edge is nice and tight. Additionally, if you really want to pin, you can put a little scrap of fabric over the spot you want to pin. This will keep the chiffon from getting tangled in the pin coil and closure.

Originally Posted by nadyasidhe

I think I do the same thing:

I do a half granny knot first, like the bottom half of this: http://www.shoeknots.com/version1/knots.gif

Then I do it again, but instead of pulling one end all the way through, I pull an elbow of the fabric through; (Sorry, couldn't find an image.) it forms a loop.

It helps when you're done, to have something to pull (instead of un-knot) that's willing to slip loose easily, instead of having to resort to getting help or pulling it upward off your hips and then over your head. It's also easier on the beads at the end of the ties, which love to get twisted together.

I think you described it better than I did.

Ha -- great mind think alike!

I hated the granny knot I used at first, as it sometimes won't release and usually tangles the beady ends. I got sick of staring at my navel at the end of class!

Miramir's hair elastic trick never worked for me, lol ;-)

Dang I wish I could figure out what you're all talking about because my chiffon hip scarves always slide down my yoga pants during warm up. But I am spatially challenged and I admit that sadly I can't even wrap my brain cell around any of the posts.

Use an elastic belt underneath the scarf. Then tie the scarf to the elastic belt. It works great and will never slip.

I'm just glad I can finally forgive my hips after all this time blaming them for letting my scarves fall off them. All this time time, I thought I was deformed. To My Hips, whose fault it never was, I am sorry.

Originally Posted by HOOKEDNOVICE

Dang I wish I could figure out what you're all talking about because my chiffon hip scarves always slide down my yoga pants during warm up. But I am spatially challenged and I admit that sadly I can't even wrap my brain cell around any of the posts.

That granny knot messed up my brain for a minute or two at first ,r:;

Jut look at the bottom half of the drawing.. I think that is the knot she is talking about in the centre at the bottom. Just a regular first knot like you would always tie your scarf I guess (at least I cannot think of any other possibility!). then apparently for the 2nd knot you stop short of "completing" the knot and keep the fabric only "half pulled through". At least that is what I think is meant.
WIll try if that sticks better!

My fundamental problem is the width of decorated area. If the coin decorated area is wider than my hips (which often is the case with standard size scarves I did not pay to remove the coins over my hip width, which dramatically increases the cost for most sellers...) then making the knot on some beads/coins will not only damage them, but also make the knot pretty fragile..
I have no solution for that so far, but have not tried to not tie the ends, but the fabric ABOVE the coins like Delilah shows in one video. This seems to be the solution before the granny knot - tying the fabric, not the ends, in a small double knot.

Will try that too.

And what kind of elastic belt?
I have a hard time imagining what belt to use and how to tie the scarf to it!!

I hope with your advice I can prevent the scarves from slipping from now on :)

Originally Posted by cheerybelly

I'm just glad I can finally forgive my hips after all this time blaming them for letting my scarves fall off them. All this time time, I thought I was deformed. To My Hips, whose fault it never was, I am sorry.

It's not my hips, it's my lack of a bubble butt that really makes the tied scarves sliiiiiiide down. Either that or that fabric is stretching, but I'm pretty sure it's more "lack of booty". ..l;,

Those who sewed a strap in the belt (hook or snap the straps and then tie belt), can that be done easily by hand (I don't have a machine, can barely sew but I think I can do a straight line)?

I'd love to see a pic of whatever you guys sew to the scarves!! I could not sew if my life depended on it (oh well who knows..). Would have to see that for "inspiration" (enlightenment).

I use a 1-1 1/2 inch elastic belt with a slip in buckle. Most of my scarves are dark so I usually use black. I place the belt on top of the hip scarf and fold a couple of inches of the hip scarf over the belt (to cover it). Buckle the belt, tie a knot around the buckle, and you're ready to go. It stays up through anything.

I've also used a decorative cord when I've forgotten my belt.

This is a cool thread. Pretty much no trick keeps scarves in place on me -- it's not that they slide down, it's that they pop up! I have really big hips in comparison to my waist, so the hipscarves always seek the narrower area to jump to. I now only wear those crocheted paillette scarves; they are the only thing with the remotest chance of staying in place.

I am thinking about something for some time now that might help you particularly. You know how many trousers have these "fabric hooks" (don't know the appropriate English word) to put a regular belt in?
Maybe one could sew such a loop at the side where the scarf will be tied at the front and back side of the skirt or trousers? For my problem (the knot loosening and falling down) this will not do that much good. But for your issue (travelling up) this might help?!

Originally Posted by dinavienna

I am thinking about something for some time now that might help you particularly. You know how many trousers have these "fabric hooks" (don't know the appropriate English word) to put a regular belt in?
Maybe one could sew such a loop at the side where the scarf will be tied at the front and back side of the skirt or trousers? For my problem (the knot loosening and falling down) this will not do that much good. But for your issue (travelling up) this might help?!

Hmm. I might have to play around with that idea. Thanks!

While we are on the subject, can someone elaborate on how to tie those dang triangle hip scarves where the coins are just on the perimeter of the "v ? Someone explained making "bunny ears" out of the scarf where there are no coins and tying it that way, but that comes undone the minute I do even one hip twist.

I use a butterfly hairclip: secure, no damage, quick in and out and it doesn't even show if I bother to loopone end over the clip, it doesn't show.

Originally Posted by cheerybelly

I'm just glad I can finally forgive my hips after all this time blaming them for letting my scarves fall off them. All this time time, I thought I was deformed. To My Hips, whose fault it never was, I am sorry.

heh- well- it is entirely my hips' fault. I have no hips & everything slides. For the heavier, beaded scarves, I sew a bit of grosgrain ribbon where I want it to tie, then tie the scarf knot over that to disguise it. the lighter ones, I just tuck into the top of my yoga pants under the elastic. I'm an extreme case tho & will admit to occasionally using a bum-roll in the past... I really, really don't have hips

one of my students has the circular part of a slip in belt. she passes either end of the scarf through it, it's large so it doesn't rip the coins off.
like the one on this belt

I use the bunny ears for rectangular scarves, and it works pretty well. It has an added bonus of the scarf laying flatter and producing more noise (more cowbell!). I've tried to use the T-shirt circles, but I can never get them tight enough.

I learned the following trick from local dancer Aren. It's nice for scarves with a beaded edge because you don't actually tie a knot. You need scavenged bra straps, a hook and eye, needle and thread, and the scarf in question.

1. Place scarf around hips and mark where they meet. Slip the bra strap through the beading and gather up the scarf end. Whip stitch the bra end closed.


Closeup of gathered edge


2. Sew hook & eyes to other end of bra straps.


To wear, put the scarf in place and thread the straps through the opposite scarf end. Hook them in the back and lay the top flap over to cover the strap. The strap gets covered and you have a scarf that stays in place!

I'm by myself and can't get pics of this on a body, but hopefully you can tell where I'm going.