Author: Davina

Davina ~ Dawn Devine is a belly dance costume designer, dance instructor and author of more than a dozen publications on Middle Eastern dance.

Hemming Assiut Garments by Machine

Post author By Davina
Post date July 6, 2015

I enjoy working with modern assiut and I often use my sewing machine for seams and hems. Many dancers like to open the side seams of their assiut garments from hem to hip for maximum freedom of movement. Most ready-made assiut robes, however, arrive stitched closed to the hem. Although assiut doesn’t fray, a clean smooth well stitched hem will hang and move better. Here are my top tips for the achieving the best machine hemming results.

1 – Carefully open unwanted seams – Assiut has lots of holes, and it’s easy to catch them with the tip of your seam ripper, so be extremely careful when picking open seams. I like to use a good strong light source and go very slow while taking the existing seams apart.
My favorite two seam rippers:
Classic style with ergo handle: http://www.amazon.com/Dritz-Ergonomic-Design-Large-Ripper/dp/B003VWL0YO
Super-sharp scalpel style: http://www.amazon.com/Crafters-Companion-Ultra-Seam-Ripper/dp/B0006V1TBM

Assiut-Hem-Chalk-Mark

2 – Use chalk to draw your new hem line – Although your robe might have been previously sewn, you might choose to put your new hem in a slightly different line. To achieve a clean new hemline, use a ruler and either a marking pencil, chalk, or wheel to draw your new fold line.
I keep all three of these marking tools in my kit, and pick the best one for the job.
Chalk Wheel – http://www.amazon.com/Dritz-662-Chalk-Wheel-Kit/dp/B0081GYA8I/
Tailor’s Chalk – http://www.amazon.com/Triangle-Tailors-Assorted-Colors-Quilting/dp/B00XI64MFC
Marking Pencil – http://www.amazon.com/Dritz-667-Tailors-Marking-Set/dp/B0052WSQHK

3 – Use your iron – Using your chalk line as a guide, fold and press your new hem in to place. If there is enough seam allowance, as there was on this blue robe, I like to fold the raw edge under during the pressing process. If the seam allowance is too narrow, don’t worry about it. Assiut won’t unravel, so as long as you have more than 1/8” your new hem will hold up. Tip: Since assiut is made from cotton, it will press very well when using seam – but watch out – the metal stitches can get very hot – so let it cool down before touching it.
Black & Decker Steam Iron – http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-D2030-Auto-Off-Advantage/dp/B0006ZUHR0
Sunbeam – http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-1500-Watt-Anti-Drip-Non-Stick-GCSBCS-200-000/dp/B00JPCWDS6

4 – Pin parallel to the hem – After your fabric has cooled off pin your new hem into place. I like to position my pins parallel to the hem with the tips of the pins pointed to the left. This will hold the hem in place during the sewing process and will allow you to easily pull the pins out as you sew. Avoid placing your pins perpendicular to the hem, as that can cause twisting as you remove them, or risk breaking the needle if you attempt to sew over the pins.
Pins – http://www.amazon.com/Dritz-4-Inch-Quilting-Quilters-500-Pack/dp/B001UAM3UY/

5 – Use a sharp fairly thick sewing needle – When working with assiut, I always begin a new garment project with a fresh sewing machine needle. When working with modern assiut, I like to use a universal needle in a size 14, so the needle will have enough strength and a sharp enough tip to penetrate the metal stitches.

TIP: ALWAYS WEAR PROTECTIVE EYE GEAR WHEN SEWING MODERN ASSIUT! Although a sharp needle will penetrate the stitches, needles do get dull, and as soon as it’s dull, it can snap when it hits the metal. I wear always glasses when sewing to protect my eyes from broken needles and shards of metal.

Sewing Machine Needles – http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Machine-Needles-Size-14-Pkg/dp/B000YZ7JAK

Protective Eye Gear – http://www.amazon.com/Radians-Remington-Protective-Eyewear-Outdoor/dp/B00KHOFWTI

6 – Sew slowly – Always go nice and slow so you can control the shape of the seam and pull your pins out as you sew. To remove your pins easily, simply use your thumb to capture the heads of the pin and as the machine pulls the fabric through, your thumb will pull the pin out of the cloth. This technique works best when using big-headed pins with brightly colored heads.

My favorite sewing machine – http://www.bernina.com/en-US/Products-US/BERNINA-products/Sewing-Quilting-and-Embroidery/BERNINA-Classic-Series/BERNINA-1008

You can do it! Good Luck!!! ~ Davina
July 6, 2015

BE CAREFUL – SEW SLOWLY – WEAR EYE PROTECTION

Assiut/Assuit General

30 Shawls – Ojala Sneak Peek

Post author By Davina
Post date June 1, 2015

During the production of my book The Cloth of Egypt: All About Assiut, Alisha, my photographer and co-author, and I had the opportunity to seek out private collections throughout the greater Bay Area to photograph some of the finest assiut in area.

Ojala-Pages-Costumer's-Notes-Print-Edition

The largest private collector we had the pleasure to work with was the esteemed antique textile and jewelry dealer Nancy Hernandez of Ojala. Images of some of her most impressive pieces appear in various places throughout Cloth of Egypt and were also featured in the print edition of Costumer’s Notes. Image at right is a screen grab from the special print edition of Costumer’s Notes Read for free on the web here: http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/628802

Since our last photoshoot, the Ojala assiut collection has continued to grow.Currently the collection includes more than 30 shawls and scarves dating 1890-1930 and several dresses ranging from vintage to modern. Nancy began her collection in 1983 with an exquisite wedding shawl. Over the past few years, she has focussed on strategically adding pieces to her collection with distinctive imagery.

Alisha and I went over for an informal show-and-tell, and had the opportunity to view a few of her latest finds. Some of her latest acquisitions hail from as far away as England, Scotland, and Russia. We are planning a formal photo shoot in October to capture the beauty of her collection with fine lighting. I snapped some quick photos with my phone to share with you this quick sneak peek. Enjoy!

Assiut Shawls from the Ojala Collection

General

6 Tips for Close-Up Assiut Photos

Post author By Davina
Post date May 19, 2015

My co-author and photographer, Alisha Westerfeld, and I took thousands of photos prior to the release of The Cloth of Egypt: All About Assiut. At public appearances and lectures, I’m frequently asked, “How did you get such nice photos?” Well, it took trial and error, a lot of practice, a bit of luck, and help from our photographer mentors. If you own a vintage assiut shawl and want to take some documentary photos, here’s our top six photography tips.

1 – Use a Polarizing Filter – This will cut down on the glare and reflections so your stitches will show as stitches rather than shiny, glowing metal dots. More Info on Polarizing Filters

2 – Use Good Lighting – Nothing beats indirect sunlight, but if you need to take shots indoors on a table, try to use the best quality light! The shot above was taken with a Daylight Florescent Bulb in a standard desk lamp. I try to get bulbs with a color temperature between 5000-6000k to get the least amount of color cast, so your photos don’t turn out too yellow or blue. More info on Light Bulbs

3 – Shoot From Every Angle – You never know what combination of lighting and camera angle will work best, so try from a number of different angles. In the photo above, both the light and the camera were at an approximately 45 angle. Lower light angles can produce more texture and detail in the cloth. Top lighting will make the textile look flat and graphic. More info on Lighting Textiles

4 – Use Your Macro Setting – If you are trying to get a really detailed shot of the quality of the stitch, or the twist of the fibers in the groundcloth, switch your camera to its macro setting and to get the best quality image of the stitch. Tips for using Macro Setting

5 – Choose a Good Background – Because assiut cloth is mesh, the color beneath will show through and impact the final result. For darker brown to black assiut shawls, I like to use black velvet which produces a rich deep effect, and allows the threads to still show. For tan, cream or white vintage assiut, I like to use a creamy colored charmeuse or dupioni silk which shimmers up through the stitches. Silk Fabric Source

6 – Take Lots of Images – There is no need to be stingy when shooting digital. As you experiment with angle, lighting and using macro to zoom in, you will want to take as many photos as your memory will allow. This will give you more images to select from when you are choosing the best. Save the best – delete the rest! Table-Top Photo Tips

Love Assiut? Wanna see more photos of this magical cloth? Get your copy of Cloth of Egypt: All About Assiut here!

Costuming DIY General Publications

3 Essential Sewing Reference Books

Post author By Davina
Post date May 10, 2015

3-Sewing.Books If you’ve been following my blog, you have probably read some of my DIY costuming books devoted to Middle Eastern belly dance costumes. However, I find that many novice seamstresses purchase my products and find they need advice on basic construction. Fortunately, there are already numerous books on general sewing technique available today. But which one to choose?

When you are making costumes, having a good quality sewing book or two on the shelf makes a lot of sense. Sewing books are reference tools that can introduce a novice to basic techniques or help an experienced seamstress figure out challenging sewing problems. So, here’s my round-up of recommended sewing reference books that I keep on hand in my collection, and use as texts when I teach my classes and workshops.

Readers Digest Guide to Sewing
I feel that this is an indispensable book for anyone who sews! With clear, easy to follow directions and beautifully drawn illustrations, this book is a dependable workhorse. I use this title as a text when I teach construction classes at the local community college. Everything is in here, from hand sewing stitches to installing zippers, from threading a sewing machine to complex tailoring techniques. This book is an encyclopedia of tips, instructions and helpful hints for dealing with all aspects of sewing. This book has been around a long time, so if you are on a budget, you may be able to find a copy in your favorite used book store. Find it on Amazon

Vogue/Butterick Step-By-Step Guide to Sewing Technique
What every library needs is a good dictionary and this is the one for every costumer. In this book, sewing techniques are arranged alphabetically for ease of searching. This book is the perfect companion to the Vogue/Butteric k Guide to Sewing (see above.) It is much more comprehensive filling in the gaps, providing a reference that has everything from basic to advance techniques. The illustrations are easy to follow and understand. This book is also fairly inexpensive, making it an excellent value. Find it on Amazon

Singer Guide to Sewing
This book is but one title in the large Singer Sewing series. There are many excellent volumes in this library and this book does a great job of introducing basic sewing technique. It is filled with big beautiful full-color pictures that are eye catchy and clearly illustrate the sewing techniques discussed. However, this book is not comprehensive. Unlike the other titles listed above, you would need to buy several books in the Singer series to put together to match up to the more comprehensive titles. But if you prefer photographs rather than illustrations, this is an excellent alternative. Find it on Amazon

General Makeup and Appearance

The Perfect Belly Dance Smile – Makeup Tips from Sara Shrapnell

Post author By Davina
Post date April 29, 2015

International belly dance instructor and performer Sara Shrapnell, author of Teaching Belly Dance, now on amazon.com, recently taught a highly informative workshop on professional quality makeup application techniques for a polished and bulletproof performance face. She went over the entire makeup application process, from primer to color. Today, I would like to share her best tips for crafting the perfect belly dance smile.

: Front, From Left: Shalimar, Poppy Maya, Stacy • Back, From Left: Davina, Sidalia, Zemira, Sara Shrapnell

Perfect lips are one of the most essential components of the finished look of an entertainer. While a lot of women just slather on a coat of lipstick before heading out of the house, a performer needs to spend a little bit more time and technique to create a lasting look. It’s a multi-step process with several steps to develop depth, saturation, and intensity that will appear rich in any lighting situation and last through the entire show.

• Begin with Hydration, from the inside. Your lips are one of the first places where dehydration will show. Lip skin is especially delicate and drinking plenty of water will keep them from appearing flakey and dry.

• Exfoliate your lips. The morning before a big performance, exfoliate your lips. Tips that came up during the course of the workshop included: Use a rough washcloth and facial cleanser to gently scrub away the top layer of skin. Some ladies dedicate a toothbrush to serve as their lip exfoliator, apply a dab of moisturizer, soap, or petroleum jelly to the toothbrush and rub it into the lips to brush away flakes. If you are a DIY type of gal, you can mix some cooking oil, (I prefer olive oil but others suggest coconut oil or grape seed oil,) with some ordinary sugar to make a paste to apply in a gentle circular motion to smooth the skin. Some dancers swear by using a base of honey and sugar. Of course, there are many, many ready made facial exfoliators will also do the trick, just be sure to be extra gentle when using a scrub. (Need more Lip Exfoliation techniques? Check out this list of techniques over on The Gloss.)

• Slather on the lip balm. Using a lip balm on a daily basis to hydrate and condition the skin, will help the lips maintain their smooth and supple appearance. If you are a low-maintenance type of gal, you may want to select a balm with a tint to add an extra touch of color. There are many products to chose from, and ultimately, it’s not the balm you choose, but daily application that will keep your lips ultra smooth.

Hydration and balm should be regular parts of your daily beauty rituals. Exfoliate as needed. Prior to applying your makeup, make sure that your lips are immaculate clean, smooth and soft.

• Save the Lips for Last. Apply your primer, foundation, concealer, highlighter and other contouring products to take your face to it’s most flawless look.

• Apply a Stain. Stain sticks to lips beautifully, so you can use it to lay on a nice color foundation. Even at the end of the day, when your lipstick has melted away, there will still be that kiss of color left on your lips from the initial application of stain.

• Use a lip liner. Carefully and judicially apply your lipliner. A slightly lifted cupid’s bow, or a deeper lower lip can becreated with lipliner. However, don’t extend your lip lines too far beyond normal, or you might wind up with unbelievably exaggerated contours. Once you have perfected your liner, fill in your entire lip. Lip liner sticks to the stain which serves a base for the application of lipstick.

• Wait until you get there to your event to apply your lipstick. With a lipliner base, you can leave the house with confidence, but leave the final decision on color until you get the venue. Did you bring several costumes so you can choose the best outfit for the lighting situation, the background color, or to fit into a lineup better?

• Find a signature red. Nothing beats a glamorous red lipstick to complete your look. Although it may take a bit of time and a financial investment, it’s worth it to really take the time to find the best color for you. Most dancers amass a wardrobe of red lipsticks that work for different lighting situations and tonal variations to enhance different costumes.

• Use an oil-based product to clean your lips. At the end of the night, it’s important to carefully clean your skin. Performance makeup is thicker and heavier than the makeup worn by most for daily wear. Meticulous cleaning will help protect your skin from blemishes. Remember that an oil based cleanser will wipe away the layers of makeup.

Two Bonus Lip Tips: Practice your makeup application techniques. Always test drive your lipstick before taking it onto the stage.

BE CAREFUL – SEW SLOWLY – WEAR EYE PROTECTION

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Love Assiut? Wanna see more photos of this magical cloth? Get your copy of Cloth of Egypt: All About Assiut here!

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