Costuming DIY

Pink Floral Belly Dance Costume in Action

August 6, 2019

Hello Gang! I love it when I get to see my creations take the stage. As a costumer, I don’t always get to every event, and sometimes I make belly dance costumes that I never get to see in action. But this time I’m in luck! Shalimar sent me some footage of her performing at […]

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Golden Goddess Belly Dance Costume part 3 – Building the Structure

March 5, 2019

Take Measurements Once I’ve collected all the materials and supplies together, I reconnect with my customer for a fresh set of measurements. I also take any specialty measurements that are unique to this particular costume. I use a ready-made client measurement sheet that I label and date. When I’m finished with the project the measurement […]

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Self-Care Tips for Sewing Hands

August 4, 2018

I’ve been a professional costume maker for more than 30 years. My hands have logged many hours at the sewing machine, wielding an iron, or pulling a needle. In order to maintain and sustain my hands for another 20 years of sewing, I’ve been implementing a variety of strategies to keep my hands in good […]

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Mixing Faux and Modern Assiut

June 11, 2018

Swirl is my informal performance group composed of my proteges and myself. For our spring performance at HaflAdira in Willow Glen, CA, we put together a set of coordinating costumes using a combination of existing costume pieces, faux assiut, and modern assiut. Here’s how these costumes came together. Pulling From the Closet Before we started […]

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120 Years of Belly Dance Costume

June 8, 2018

Mahin and One World Dance & Music Studio Present 120 Years of Belly Dance Costume Design Digital workshop with Dawn Devine ~ Davina SATURDAY, JULY 14th 2:00 PM PST Early Registration for Online or In-Studio Viewing: $15 After July 1st: $20 Reserve your ticket today! 120 Years of Belly Dance Costume Design is one of […]