Gold bellydance belt finished
Jan. 7th, 2007 07:45 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
parasitegirl.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
craftgrrlI bellydance and I have this lovely gold bra and belt set that I’ll wear for years...it's lasted 1 1/2 years thus far. The belt looks grand with velvet trumpet skirts, but has always struck me as a smidge too wide to really suit chiffon skirts. This is a shame, because I dig the 70’s groovy belly dancer look. I'm 5'4" and need all the torso and leg that I can get.
Original belt with chiffon skirts and my morning face:
It also happens that I had a spare similar bedlah (bra and belt set) that was falling apart and was beyond a point where I could sell it and feel like I hadn’t done something horrible to a stranger. I figured that the ‘sane’ thing to do would be to seam rip the extra items and make a second “chiffon friendly” belt. ...and all for under 40$. The cost of beads and rhinestones really adds up if you make from scratch, and my spare set had beaded fringe...hand beading fringe is a crazy-making activity.
At home I sketched out a simple belt pattern using two belts I have. I transfered the pattern to heavy stock paper (folders I had) and then cut out a back and front belt panel in the felt.
I checked the size, pinning it around my hips, and made adjustments. I then ironed/fused the interfacing to both sides of each belt panel. I traced the pattern onto the fabric, and traced a larger half inch border around the pattern. I cut out the fabric, lay the belt forms over it, and folded over the extra fabric pinning it all in place. I hand stitched it all down.
The edges on the back were rough, but all that gets covered with lining. The cover fabric I used was pretty stiff, which made the slight curves of the design a bit more angled than I would like, but that's something to remember next time. I usually use silk brocade or velvet.
And then the beading process started...and went, and went.
And the final product:
The general process of the belt is documented on my journal if you want to see step by step, bead by bead:
http://parasitegirl.livejournal.com/tag/skinny+belt
Original belt with chiffon skirts and my morning face:
It also happens that I had a spare similar bedlah (bra and belt set) that was falling apart and was beyond a point where I could sell it and feel like I hadn’t done something horrible to a stranger. I figured that the ‘sane’ thing to do would be to seam rip the extra items and make a second “chiffon friendly” belt. ...and all for under 40$. The cost of beads and rhinestones really adds up if you make from scratch, and my spare set had beaded fringe...hand beading fringe is a crazy-making activity.
At home I sketched out a simple belt pattern using two belts I have. I transfered the pattern to heavy stock paper (folders I had) and then cut out a back and front belt panel in the felt.
I checked the size, pinning it around my hips, and made adjustments. I then ironed/fused the interfacing to both sides of each belt panel. I traced the pattern onto the fabric, and traced a larger half inch border around the pattern. I cut out the fabric, lay the belt forms over it, and folded over the extra fabric pinning it all in place. I hand stitched it all down.
The edges on the back were rough, but all that gets covered with lining. The cover fabric I used was pretty stiff, which made the slight curves of the design a bit more angled than I would like, but that's something to remember next time. I usually use silk brocade or velvet.
And then the beading process started...and went, and went.
And the final product:
The general process of the belt is documented on my journal if you want to see step by step, bead by bead:
http://parasitegirl.livejournal.com/tag/skinny+belt
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