Pink Retro Bellydance Costume Page 2

Construct and Cover the Belt With Base Fabric

I have made a few belt patterns based on other costume belts that fit me very well.  If don't already have a costume belt with a good fit, see if a dance friend or teacher has a belt that you can examine for shape and fit.  Use interfacing to make a pattern based on the belt.  It can be one long piece, as shown with this costume, or two pieces (front and back.)

1. Cut out the belt form. Cut out belt form from two layers of canvas.  Zig-zag machine stitch along edges. Place around your hips and mark where the top (and/or bottom) edges need to be taken in to fit your shape. Cut slits for darts as needed.  Overlap the top edges of the cuts and zig-zag machine stitch. See photos I and J.


2. Cover the belt with base fabric. Place the belt form on top of the base stretch fabric and cut it about two inches larger in every direction.  Pin in place (again, don't stretch it too much or it will work against the darts) and hand or machine stitch through the layers, folding and stitching the ends last.  Trim.  See photos K and L. 
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Next: Cover Bra and Belt With Hipscarves