Thread: An extremely clever budget belt

I have no pic, sorry, but I am sure all of you will be able to imagine this.

So, I have one class working on a piece where we are going super-retro with their look - big skirts, harems (mostly sheer), skimpier bedleh if possible, lots of texture and colour, every item of jewellery under the sun, 60s-inspired hair and headgear, more eyeliner than Amy Winehouse, pale lips, the whole shebang. One of the students in this class is an artist and has a real knack for putting together costumes that are unique and always have something kind of vintage about their look. She is a very vintage girl. Anyway, she turned up to class last night with her overskirt - a draped champagne thing with glitter on it, very delicious - and her belt, which is quite deep but absolutely *sumptuous*, with beading in shades of gold and champagne, old-fashioned lampshade-style fringing (ie the stuff made of beads), and a slim sash of better-than-glitter-dot-but-similar gold fabric at the very top edge, that ties in front.

Everyone oohed and ahhed over this belt, which has only one closure - dead centre, step into the belt, button and tie. Yes, button. Underneath all the decoration is the top part of an old pair of well-fitting low-slung *jeans*, button fly ones. There are two buttons and she says it is really sturdy, won't fall down or unhook, and it looks stunning.

I am totally stealing this idea. It takes using old jeans for a belt base to a whole new level! And who hasn't got a pair of old jeans that the bum's gone in but that still fit sleekly?

I think that I can see this. I take it there is no crotch in the jeans. I like this idea. Simple, easy to make for a newby. I can't do jeans, they always fall off my butt but I can see doing this with other materials and perhaps a tie on the side.......might be rethinking my costume design that I am working on right now.

**Brilliant.**

Now I am wondering about cutting up the legs to use as bra-stiffeners...

Remember denim stretches so plan accordingly. The legs are also great for transporting canes, wings, swords, posters, banners, etc. The body of the pant from just below the crotch (legs stitched closed), and below the portion used for the belt makes a cute purse. (Couture shops sell those for big bucks.) I use a skirt hanger to secure the zipped body of a pair for laundry room items, the pockets are great for buttons and items found in the washer and dryer. Another one in my closet for buttons, scarves, miscellaneous items in pockets. I loop scarves and belts through a belt loop to keep the organized. I even have one by my sewing table for extra scissors, chalk, measuring tapes.

Ha ha ha!! I love it!! A few years ago I started to make a costume from JEANS!!! you know, the whole thing - a denim jeans costume. I thought it would be linda cool, but I ran out of courage... NOW!!! maybe I could revisit that.
Please post a picture of your girls when they are done, Zumarrad - it sounds awsome!

thats an excellent idea!

I was just at a workshop last weekend where a troupe wore something like this as their hip treatment - they cut off the jeans right below where the zipper ends and then put coins along the bottom hem. It was cool.

What a great idea! What about using shirt cuffs for wristlets? Kind of a funky, punky thing.

i use old none stretch jeans for belt base and bra straps. For the belt base I use two layers and saw all the way across making a sturdy base, bra straps are similar. It does stretch minimal.

I love this idea. Recycling stuff to make sparklies is a passion of mine. Not denim, but I made a hip scarf that ties in front by using a red lace skirt with a lining, from the thrift shop. I cut it to the right length and shape, decorated it and added satin ties to the front. It has the right shape to fit around the body and the top edge is slightly stretchy, so it fits well. Since the pic was taken I added some cool beaded medallions to the center of each circle:

I'm just wondering now which old skirts and trousers I've got at home in the "Never Gonna Wear These Again" box, that I can cannibalise.

I LOVE using denim for bellydance. As a matter of fact, I'm currently working on a denim project. I had made a 'circle and a half' skirt out of navy blue stretch velvet - sumptuous, but almost too heavy for a simple elastic band at the hips. So I am sewing the skirt to the bottom of a stonewashed denim hip-hugger mini skirt (yes, I bought it in the teen section at Wal-Mart). I'm seriously thinking about doing a belt and bra with blinged out red bandanas. Truly an all-American bellydance look!

Holy cow, that's genius! Why go to all the trouble of drafting a pattern for a belt to fit your hips, and laboring to make it sturdy, when you need look no further than your own closet? Thanks for sharing that great tip!