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[parasitegirl.livejournal.com]

A while back I bought a used bellydance costume on Bhuz (a bellydance message board) only to realize how much I passionately hated how the skirt looked on me, but I loved the fit of the bra. In fact I think the fact that the bra looked like a good fit was why I bought it.... for a while it sat in my closet, I'd put it on every once in a while to talk myself into liking it...no go. The jeweled crotch, the cut of the skirt, the fact that I needed to let the elastic out about 2 cm so it wouldn't be unflattering...nope. So it was time to bring in the craft savvy!

The Before:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/Buggirl/blog/IMG_2825.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/Buggirl/dance/IMG_2822.jpg

A few weeks ago I took scissors to the skirt and turned the skirt into a bedlah belt. It seemed like an easier solution than looking for an overseas buyer, and my summer schedule is light..

A few notes on the process for people thinking about making belts:A few notes on the process, I didn’t photo-document it, but this may help some folks.

First I made a pattern from an existing belt that I wear. I traced it onto folder paper (it was what was on hand), cleaned up the lines, and cut it out with an X-acto/cutter. I test fit the paper to my body, and compared it to the existing belt, and made adjustments.

Then I went to the fabric store to pick up some thick felt and sturdy iron-on interfacing. At home I made the belt by fusing the interfacing to the felt, and then on the other side of the felt I machine stitched a layer of denim that I had on hand. Interfacing-felt-denim.

Then I cut into my skirt. Scary.

I usually like to machine stitch the fabric to my belt-base, but my machine wasn’t having any of the combination of knit fabric and woven. I carefully pinned the fabric in place and hand stitched it..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/Buggirl/dance/IMG_2986.jpg

Then I embellished, pulling the sequins and beads from the now tattered skirt. I had to buy sew on stones because the dress had cheap glue-on ones. I purchased the fringe on-line, it was an exact match for the beads, but was about 4 inches short, so I hand fringed the edges and the little fringe swags. I didn’t have a set design when I started decorating, I just doodled with tailor’s chalk until I had a layout that generally matched the top. The flowers came from a reference book I had for my art. I sketched them on and filled them in…I’ve learned a lot about sequins. Everything was sewn with bead specific thread (similar to dental floss) and I made knots often incase of snags.

While embellishing I wondered about how to use the “spangled merkin” because it seemed a waste not to use it. Bling be bling! When I draped it over the bra I knew I was onto something, but that I’d have to make a twin. I fused interfacing to a thinner felt and started sewing the copy merkin.

Merkin in progress:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/Buggirl/dance/IMG_3001.jpg

Then I attached the spangled merkins to the bra. At this point I realized that the bra was constructed with some impenetrable steel or similar matter. You could stitch on the edge or through a tiny bit of the fabric, but no needles could pass through the base: this explained the glue-on rhinestones. But the edge stitching held and I made sure it would stay against the fabric with a bit of stitching through the top layer of fabric.

Last, I lined the belt with blue cotton with slightly contrasting thread so I’ll be able to find the stitches when it comes time to replace the lining down the road. I made a 2 piece pattern that will be joined with hooks on both sides of my hips incase I gain or lose weight. I will probably loosely stitch one side closed for stability. When I need to adjust I can quickly remove those hidden basting stitches and adjust the hooks on both sides.