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Belly Dance Costuming DIY General

Etsy Store – Pattern Sale & Free Shipping Feb 2017

Davina aka Dawn Devine with Lynette Harris, Editor of the Gilded Serpent Magazine and Miles Copeland Impresario of Belly Dance Super Stars.For more than 15 years, I lived the vendor life. Traveling to events, setting up my books and selling other items at belly dance shows along the West Coast, from Portland to San Diego and as far east as Las Vegas. The travel was exciting!  I met a lot of wonderful people, had some great travel experiences, and sold a lot of books and patterns. It was fun and hard work, but I had a blast!

Right: Me hanging out with Lynette Harris of Gilded Serpent and Miles Copeland of Belly Dance Superstars at MECDA’s Cairo Caravan on the Queen Mary, 2013.

To round out my product line, I carried a selection of patterns by the likes of Madame X, Tempest, and selected items from the Caravan Collection from Folkwear.  Many costumers enjoy the ease of grabbing a pattern, cutting it out, and making a beautiful garment.  Although my books are great guides for making costumes from taking measurements to stepping on the stage, I’m frequently asked for recommendations on patterns to simplify the process.

Davina's Book Rack c. 2005However, at some point, I misplaced my pattern bucket!  It somehow got dropped into a box and put into a closet, unlabelled, unloved and completely forgotten. I still do local events, but over the past few years, I have only taken books and accessories.  So in January, when I was doing a “New Year, New Me” themed “clean up,” I located my old pattern bin.

Left: The Ibexa Press book rack c. 2005.  I had just added the Tempest Corset Belt to my collection.

But the truth of the matter is I’ve drastically scaled back my vending activities, and only participate in single-day, local events and take a more scaled down booth.  Easy to set up and tear down, and perfect for tucking into small spaces.  I enjoy having a place where people can stop by and say hi, check out my latest books and show me their latest costume creations!   But these days, my book line is so expanded, that I don’t really have space for patterns on my rack.

Right: Dawn Devine ~ Davina and Author/Teacher/Performer Sara Shrapnell at Sudeep’s Bay Area Belly, 2015.

Since I wrote off these patterns years ago, I’ve decided to sell all the patterns and booklets found in my “pattern bucket” at wholesale or less!  So, to facilitate this sale, I’m loading all the items onto my etsy store and offering my usual Free Shipping in February sale.  So if you’re in the market for a belly dance costume pattern, check out this sale!

Now, for the rest of the day, I’ll be uploading patterns to my Etsy store.  A perfect activity for a rainy winter afternoon!  If you’re planning your costume projects for 2017 or just want to window shop some cool belly dance patterns, click on the banner above and it will take you right to my shop!  If you have any questions about the patterns – use the etsy messaging system to drop me a line and I will get back to you in a jiffy!

Happy Costuming in 2017!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
Feb. 1, 2017

 

 

Categories
Belly Dance Costuming DIY

Egyptian Pressed Coin Trim with beads

Egyptian Pressed Coin Trim with beads
Step-by-Step DIY tutorial

This is a classic technique for applying pressed coins to any costume piece. This method is great for edge finishes, but works equally well when stitched to the surface of the garment.

These photos are from a major assuite project I’ve been working on for the past few months. These head-to-toe ensembles are composed of a purchased assuite robe, and custom bra and belt sets. Along with a black bra and a pair of black harem pants, these five pieces create three fantastic head-to-toe looks.

The assuite robes were purchased on the internet. These robes didn’t fit very well, being exceptionally boxy. Our goal was to transform the robes, reshaping them into beladi dresses by nipping in the waist, reshaping the sleeves and neckline and adding coin trim to the hem and sleeves. The trim adds movement, shine and the lovely light tinkling sound we associate with Egyptian coin costumes. This last step is documented in this tutorial.

Materials:
Pressed Metal Coins – These coins were purchased via the internet (Check eBay for best prices – but don’t forget to shop your vendor friends to support your local dance community!) They come in a variety of sizes, this .5″ diameter coin is pretty standard and widely available. Rule of thumb – the bigger the coin – the less time spent sewing! How do you calculate how much you need? Measure all your edges. Lay-out how dense you want the coins to appear when you are done. Measure how many coins per inch. In this case, I needed 70″ of hem per dress. I wanted the coins to be 2 per inch, so I needed 140 coins per dress. But always buy more – I recommend double what you need! Why? Well, these are pressed metal, which means the hole you will be sewing through is really sharp. These coins will cut through the threads faster than you can say yallah, so keep a pile in reserve to make repairs.

Beads – Stitching through a bead allows the coins to flip and twist and are the key to allowing enough movement to create that light musical jingling sound. Because I prefer to stitch using a milliners needle, I try to buy beads with large holes. These were purchased inexpensively from a local craft store. Any small sized bead will work for this purpose including seed beads and rocailles.

Thread – The sturdier the thread, the more resistant to cutting and breaking your finished work will be. I like using a heavy weight button twist or an upholstery thread. Nylon thread will be more cut resistant than cotton. Rayon thread is the most delicate and I recommend avoiding. I once new a dancer who liked to work with kevlar thread for this kind of work. This thread is the strongest in the world, has a high price tag and is difficult to work with. But she never lost a coin! For this project, I’m using upholstery thread.

Needle – Your beads will determine the type and style of needle you choose to work with. I bought large seed beads to accommodate my needle and because they are easier to work with and add a little bit more shine when done. get needles that will easily pass through the beads you have.

Other items – Other tools you will need complete this project, you will also need a pair of scissors and I highly recommend using a thimble. I also recommend using beeswax or thread conditioner to help keep your thread from twisting or knotting as you stitch. You might want to measure and mark your stitching locations using chalk and a tape measure or ruler to measure.

Order of Construction:

First Coin - Pull thread from back to front.
Pull thread through bead.
Next, run needle through the coin. At this point, you want your coin facing up, though, they will be able to flip around, it's a good habit to be consistant in the positioning of your trims
Pull your thread back up and through the bead again.
Run your needle through the cloth and knot. Don't pull the thread too tightly, or the coin will not bounce and move. Also, if the thread is too tight, there is more chance that the coin will cut through the thread.
Once you've knotted the thread above the coin, use a slip-stitch to move to your next location. With assuite, you can really see the needle sliding through the fold made by the hem.

The final result, an edge finish with that touch of Egyptian bounce, shine and musical jingle.

Pack a repair kit – Pressed coins are sharp where the hole is punched. This style of coin will slice through the thread over time. Since you’re stitching this yourself, you can prepare a kit to mend and repair your costume as needed.

Top Tip – Recycled candy tins are my favorite way to store specialized repair kits. I use inexpensive bobbins so matching thread is available without hunting for everything. Be sure to label your tin with a quick hand-written label or get fancy with a photo of yourself decoupaged to the top.

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Costuming DIY

Diaghilev at the Victoria & Albert, London

Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
September 25, 2010 – January 9, 2011

Costume by Leon BakstSerge Diaghilev dance impresario and creator of Les Ballets Russes had a unique vision which has sustained the test of time and profoundly effected the entire world of dance. The fantastic orientalist inspired costumes by Leon Bakst have left a lasting impression of his sumptuous balletic reinterpretations of the exotic and mythic east.

Diaghilev had a unique knack for surrounding himself with an illustrious and international group of creative and artistic minds to design his costumes. From the French fashion designer Coco Chanel to the avant guard Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, this exhibit is filled with some of the best costumes ever designed.  Diaghilev Exhibit

If you are not in the vicinity of the Victoria and Albert in London to view this show, why not visit their website and drink up some of the Images or check out this video to view parts of the exhibit.  Video of the Diaghilev Exhibit

If you don’t have time to watch videos or explore the V&A website, at least visit their store where they have an easy to view collection of Bakst costume illustrations.  V&A Prints