Thread: What to do with old hip scarves?

Like most of us, I have crap from me baby belly days that wouldn't be of use to anyone. But I like to try to reuse stuff... Any ideas for ways to give old dance items a new life as part of my dance room décor?

This is a great topic-I'd also like to hear more on this, 'cause I have some used stuff.

give them away to other baby bellydancers ;-)

If you are teaching bellydance, or know someone who is, create a hip scarf/coin belt "bank" for their baby belly beginner classes. Students who are just beginning really gravitate toward using them and then deciding whether or not they want to continue and buy their own (most of them usually do so in about a month or two). The rule, of course, is that everyone returns their scarf at the end of class. This has been a really successful strategy for my gym-based classes with students who are new to dance.

I once had a bunch of kids scarves left over from teaching a class. I didn't know what to do with them so I sewed two together for my hips & one onto a bra. It made a nice costume. Here's a pic of me wearing the blue one I made. I have a pink one too.
..g.:

Indian restaurants often have saris artfully pinned to the wall... You could do that.

Another idea if you're willing to part with them, some people teach classes for low-income students. You might want to donate the hip scarves to them.

I keep a basket full for students to "borrow" in class too.
It gives them a chance to try out different style, weights, etc before committing to buy. And there's always something handy if someone forgets their stuff or can't afford the extras (it's community level class).

I've been know to use old scarves as pieces for Raq'n monkey costumes.
;-)

I use the old hip scarves at gigs, and often in restaurants to let the guest wear them. I have a video clip on youtube of me doing this

I am making a dress with two of my old maroon scarves. It's coming along nicely. I'll try to remember and take a pic. tonight when I get home; now that I have a camera again.

darn, I posted in the duplicate post...

you could sew the old hip scarves into a bag, or cover a basket with them and then put some of your dance supplies inside for thematic storage

They can be turned into pillows if you sew. If you don't, cut a scrap piece of drywall to size and wrap the scarf around it. Secure with glue and/or staples and trim the leftovers. Attach hanging hardware of your choice and put on the walls.

You could go check out Dahlal's website. They have a Dancer's Designs section that might give you some ideas.

I have about 5-6 coined ones: I take some with me to every class for students who don't have / forgotten / new students trying out class.

I also made about 5-6 ones out of fabric and fringe, no coins so now I have 12 of them to be able to take to parties if they want belly dance instruction as part of the package. I just did one in December, I do one every few months.

all the other recommendations are great. You can make really good costumes out of them if you cut them up. Check out the swapmeet board - Serpentdancer (I think that's her name) sells a lot of them that was obviously made by parts of hipscarves)

I wonder if you could make a patchwork quilt out of them? I know people make sari patchworks. It could be quite cool! An old friend of mine used to wear a lot of hippy clothes in her youth, and when she started to dress more conservatively she made a *beautiful* quilt out of what was left of her favourite clothes of those days. She was a new mother at the time and I remember her saying she looked forward to being able to say to her child "that was my favourite waistcoat" or "that was the dress I wore when I went on a special date with your dad".

^Alas, my mom and I are still despairing she didn't save any of her old hippie clothes! She keeps saying, "Well, how was I supposed to know back then I'd have a daughter who'd want to dress like that???"