Hello Gang!
September is my birthday month and to celebrate, I’ve put my best selling book, Embellished Bras on sale over on my Etsy store. Through September 31, 2015, this book is on sale for the lowest price ever – only $15 + shipping. I’m so proud of this book and it continues to be my best selling publication. This is, quite literally, a “workshop in a book.” These are the techniques that I present to students during bra making classes and workshops. There are many-many ways to make a bra. In this book, I present a simple draping technique for making a pattern for the bra cups. Once you have your pattern made, follow the step-by-step directions for sewing the fabric to the bra. The last half of the book is filled with ideas, materials, and supplies for embellishing your bra. If you already make dance bras, this book will offer you new insights, tips, tools, and techniques for taking your bra-making to the next level.
All of my in-print titles are available on Etsy, so if you are looking for a different title, stop by the store and check it out. If you are a regular Etsy shopper, favorite the store and keep in touch for new products and book releases!
Thanks for joining me in my birthday celebration!
~ Dawn Devine ~ Davina
Embellished Bras – On Sale for $15 + Shipping
On Davina’s Etsy Store through Sept. 30, 2015.
PS: I’ve been adding a few assiut accessory pieces made from scraps left over from the production of The Cloth of Egypt: All About Assiut. If you are in the market for a hair flower, headband, or other accessory piece made from assiut, be sure to keep an eye out. All through the month of October, we will be finishing up new pieces! One might be right for you! ~ Happy Costuming ~ Davina
This weekend I went to an event, a hafla hosted by Adira, of Adira Dance and Costume in Willow Glen, CA. Once a month throughout the summer, Adira transformer her parking lot into a performance space, and invites dancers from all across Northern California to come and dance. This Saturday, it was my turn, and I took the stage as one half of a duet called “Swirl,” the name I use for all of my group dancing experiences. Zemira, aka Alisha Westerfeld, my co-author and photographer on Cloth of Egypt.
Before Istanbul was Constantinople, it was called Byzantium, and I took this name for this collection of easy-to-wear costumes. The style is tribal fusion, a multicultural blend of textiles, coins, and jewelry components from along the caravan routes of the spice routes and along the silk road of Asia and North Africa. Ribbons from India, jewelry from Morocco, Coins from Iran, all came together to form these costumes. My personal mission was to make garments that would hold up to the rigorous life of dancing outdoors at festivals, historic events, on the beaches and around the campfires. They were sturdy, made from materials that could be hand washed and laid out to dry, ready for the next performance.
I adored dancing at Renaissance festivals and other living history presentations. At a festival, you might have to wear your costume for 4, 6 or even 8 hours in a row, longer than you would wear a spangled glam costume for a restaurant. They need to be flexible, and have give. And, they need to be made from period inspired materials.
I’m please to announce that Andelee, over on the website has just published my article 
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.
3 – Use your iron – Using your chalk line as a guide, fold and press your new hem in to place.
4 – Pin parallel to the hem – After your fabric has cooled off pin your new hem into place. I like to
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.