It's a Steal!

I have been stalking this costume online for some time now. It had a list price of $295 but had been discounted down to $195 due to the back of the belt was "upside down." I patiently waited for about a year until the price finally dropped to $75. I greedily snagged it up and within 2 hours cut the fringe off and resewed it on the correct side. It only took me that long because I spaced it out over 2 evenings. To be honest, the 3 different color blues (fabric, fringe, bead detail,) make it a little homely. But for a D cup bedlah with all of those sew on stones and fringe for $75 who cares?

I mean really, how do you not notice the fringe is hanging from the wrong edge? The model in the online store photo looked like she was sitting in a child's booster seat from the way the belt humped up on her back.

Fringe removal.

The width of each color varied so I laid it out in the most ascetically pleasing way before sewing it on.

 Fringe reattached to the correct belt edge.

Lining stitched back into place.

Perfect!

Fun Fact: When I opened up the bra lining to remove the pads I discovered that the cups are made out of a stiff green vinyl.

Happy clearance hunting!

~N

*UPDATE 01/02/15  *  BONUS PIC!

Original model photo from website. If you stare at it long enough you will start to see scary faces.

Custom Hip Scarf and Headband

 Melissa raqs it customized.

Check out the quick tutorial posted on How to Custom Fit a Hip Scarf post at Belly Dance at Any Size.
~N

Tutorial: Getting Rid of Belt Butt-Gap

 Careful you don't trip and fall in.

I first saw the technique of using elastic to smooth away gaps in belts published in Dahlal's costume catalog, Inside the Harem. Being without imagination and a total costume newb at the time, I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. I needed to get rid of a butt-gap on my red coin belt so I decided to show the detailed process here.

You can sew the elastic under the belt lining or right on top of it. I've done it both ways with the same results. Here I decided to put the elastic under the lining because I had the time open it up, sew in elastic, and re-close the lining. Not that it's terribly time consuming. I probably finished the whole thing in 20 minutes. But, if you are squeamish about ripping open the lining, just skip that part and go right into sewing on the elastic.

Keep in mind adding elastic won't fix every belt gap. If you have a multiple or very wide gaps, have a unique figure, or if the belt is just designed funky you may need a major alteration such as cutting and removing parts of the belt or adding darts. But for those pesky 1 inch or so gaps this seems to do the trick.

You will need:

• Small length of elastic
• Sturdy thread
• Safety pin
• Sewing needle
• Scissors
• Seam ripper (optional)
• Fire (optional)

There are no rules as to how much elastic you need. I used two 3 inch-ish pieces. Two because my belt has a heart shaped curve along the back and it was easier to put a piece on each side instead of trying to curve the elastic. If the belt was straight I would have used one piece of elastic centered in the middle back between 4-5 inches long. The type of elastic really does not matter here either. I used a scrap piece I had in my stash.

• Seam rip the lining (optional,) along the area of the gap.
• Use a lighter or candle flame to singe the ends of the elastic to minimize fraying (optional.)
• Anchor one end of the elastic to the inside layers (or lining) of the belt with your choice of stitch close to the upper edge of the belt. Do not stitch all the way through to the front of the belt. Make sure the elastic is secure by giving it a couple of tugs before moving on.

• Stretch the elastic and inch or so longer then when it is at rest and safety pin it to the belt. When you stretch the elastic out it should lay flat against the belt. When you let go it should make the belt pucker along the edge. I prefer using safety pins here over regular pins because they will not slip out and I cannot stab myself on them.

• Begin zig-zagging stitches back and forth over the top of the elastic but not through it, stitching only through the inner layers of the belt and not all the way through to the front. This will create a casing for the elastic so it will not slide around but will still be able to stretch. Keep the stitches loose. Stretch the elastic out flush against the belt every few stitches to ensure the stitches are not constricting its movement. 
• Stitch down the remaining end of elastic then remove the safety pin. NOTE: I wanted to do it all with one long piece of thread so I stitched one side, zig-zagged across, and then stitched the other side in one pass without starting and stopping. You can stitch down both sides of the elastic first and then add the zig-zag casing across the top if that works better for you.

•  If you put the elastic on top of the lining then you are done. Good Job! To replace the lining keep reading.

 Second piece of elastic added.

• To close the lining, begin your first stitch 3-4 stitches back from the open edge of the lining and sew right over the top of the original stitches.
•  When you get to the last original stitch continue sewing to close the hole you have made.
• Once you have closed the hole continue sewing over 3-4 of the original stitches on the other side.
• Knot and cut your thread.

NOTE: Here are close ups of the blanket stitch I used to close the lining. Needle comes in from the top, thread wraps underneath the needle, pull tight. I used a wide blanket stitch to close the opening because it is the stitch used on the entire lining. A simple baste or whip stitch would have laid much nicer. If it gets to loose I may go back and whip stitch over it.

Crack is wack.
 

The belt should now lay smoothly against your body instead of gaping around the curve of your back. You can add elastic to trouble spots on a spandex or velvet skirt in the same manner. This trick is also handy for taming bulkiness along the side straps of your bra underneath the armpit area.

Have fun and good luck!

~N 

Sa'dia's Purple Alterations

Before alterations front

Before alterations back

The bra cups on this costume were super tiny and a bra extension just wasn't going to cut it. After much frowning, I was bolstered by this alteration by Ozma and I decided to mount the old bra directly on top of a new bra with new side straps. The belt also need some love but not so extensively. I took very few pictures of this alteration. I also forgot to take pictures of the finished product. But here is a quick overview of the process.

• Cut off all bra fringe
• Cut center connector of bra cups.
• Cut off side straps.
• Attached bra to new bra and made new side straps (in black.)
• Salvaged sequins from old straps, shook them together with some (sort of ) matching purple sequins and filled in new straps, bra cups, and center connection.
• Mimicked bra edge design and filled in with more (sort of ) matching beads and gold sequins.
• Replaced bra fringe in new design.
• Removed some fringe from back of belt and replaced with gold swags to mimic front of belt.
• Trimmed everything with gold beads.

DIY: Repurpose Damaged Hip Wrap Into Jewelry

You are shimming away in class and the next thing you know beads and coins are shooting from your hips in every direction. At first you aren't quite sure where they are coming from. For a split second you even think, "Neat, a sparkling shimmy shower." Then, with great disappointment, it hits you. Your hip wrap is starting to unravel.

You do what you can to make it last as long as possible. You gather up the coins and beads that fall off. You tie or glue loose threads together. You may even try trimming and sewing the raw edges in the hope that it will stop the offending fray from taking over the entire wrap. It is about this time you decide to donate the wrap to the "community basket". There is one at every studio. A basket full of old raggedy hip wraps for new students to share and wear during class. But alas, eventually it becomes almost impossible to wear, beads and coins raining everywhere. Your beloved hip wrap becomes an under foot nuisance that, slowly over time, gets swept up and dumped into the trash.

Before throwing your hip scarf away, (or into the back of your closet because you are too sad let it go,) see if you can repurpose it into jewelry. Use this jewelry for yourself, as gifts for dancers, or donate as door prizes or other fundraising cause.

Supplies

• Old hip wrap with damaged, frayed, or missing coins
• Barrettes and/or earring hooks
• Fabric glue
• Glue gun (and glue)
• Thread
• Needle
• Scissors

• Use the clear drying fabric glue on the cut threads to prevent fraying. See instructions here.
• Hand stitch the chiffon fabric in a "rolled hem." I type "rolled" because I just squished, tucked and folded the fabric under holding it in place with wide sloppy stitches. The chiffon area will be hidden by glue and coins so no need to make a true, fancy rolled hem.

• Cover the barrette with hot glue.

 

• Glue the coin fringe to the barrette.

• Hot glue some loose coins on top. All done!
• Wear and enjoy.

An alternative to the barrette is hip wrap fringe earrings as seen in the bottom picture of this post. For earrings, make a cleaner prettier rolled hem and then hook an earring hoop through the fringe. You can make them hang long like in the photo or loop them multiple times to create a jumble of fringe for each earring.

You can really run with the idea turning larger chunks of fringe into necklaces or use smaller pieces to decorate bras, belts, armbands, headbands, you name it.

 

 PS. Try to look more excited about saving your old hip wrap from the trash.

Have fun and Good Luck!

~N

Tutorial: Shortening Straps Without Cutting Them

I need to shorten these straps 4 inches but I don't want to cut into the strap if I can help it. Cutting means loose beads and frayed ends. It also makes it harder to lengthen them in the future. I am going to open up the bra cup lining, move the strap down, and replace the lining without cutting any part of the strap.

You will need:

Seam ripper
Scissors
Thread and needle
Measuring tape
Pins or safety pins

• First mark the amount of length you want to shorten measuring from the cup up the strap. I measured 4 inches from the the cup and marked it with a safety pin, (top pic.) Then I seam ripped off a few rhinestones that I will use to replace broken ones on the belt.

•  Then seam rip the lining stitches to expose the strap.

• Next, seam rip the strap off of the cup.

• Now slide the strap down to the mark you have made making sure to tuck the end of the strap smoothly under the lining. Also, make sure the strap has not twisted and is facing the correct direction. 
• Pin in place. 
• Stitch the strap back onto the cup, (not shown.)

• To replace the lining, loosen a few stitches so you have a thread tail 2-3 inches long.

• Tuck the tail under the lining. Make sure the remaining stitches are still tight and smooth after all of the tugging you have been doing on the lining.

• Begin your first stitch 3-4 stitches back from the open edge of the lining and sew right over the top of the original stitches.

• When you get to the last original stitch continue sewing to close the hole you have made.

• Once you have sewn around to the other side of the hole, repeat the process of tucking under the tail and sew over 3-4 of the original stitches.
• Knot and cut your thread.
• Repeat all steps on the other side and you've shortened the straps without cutting them!

Good as new!

Find more info on altering bra straps at Shushanna's costume tutorials page. She has nifty diagrams and everything.

Have fun and good luck!

~N

DIY Emergency Costume Sewing Kit

Every dancer should have an Emergency Costume Sewing Kit in their bag. Even if you can't sew well, chances are you will be at a performance with other dancers who can help you out in an emergency as long as you have the supplies on hand. This kit uses a few items from around the house and is easy to assemble.

Supplies

• Empty pill bottle
• Thread
• 2 needles
• Safety pins
• Hooks and Bars
• Seam ripper
• Paper clips or bread wrapper clip
• Scrap of paper

Wrap about a yard of thread around the paper clip or bread wrapper clip. Most of my sewing emergencies involve hooks coming loose so I use upholstery thread.

Fold the scrap of paper into a long rectangle. Fold the paper in half and poke holes through it with the needles.

 Flatten out the paper. This will keep your needles organized and easy to find.

Fill the pill bottle with the needles, thread, hooks and bars, safety pins, and seam ripper. DIY Emergency Costume Sewing Kit done! Toss it in your bag and you're good to go.

I had to remove the cap of the seam ripper so it would fit in the bottle. I stored it face down so I don't get stabbed in the finger when I remove it. I chose the seam ripper over a pair of mini scissors because it serves double duty of cutting thread and ripping out those loose and broken hooks and bars for repairs.

Times to use your sewing kit

• The obvious - repairing loose and broken hooks on bras and belts
• Cutting off broken fringe or stray threads
• Use the thread to tie together broken necklaces and bracelets as a last minute fix to get you through a performance.
• Store beads, sequins, and jewelry that break during a performance for later repairs.
• Safety pins - enough said
• Make a fish hook and line with the paper clip and thread to pull rings, keys, etc. out of sinks, vents, and other tight spots. (Hey, you never know.)

 Good Luck and have fun!
~N