Thread: "What are you working on?" June, 2009.

Oh, wow! So many kind words, and so much great advice! Where do I start?

t. Alexandra: Thank you very much! Hopefully it will be a hit at the sci fi conventions this summer...

Ozma: Thank you for imparting your costuming expertise! I absolutely agree that the hearts do kind of get lost in a sea of sequins. Looking back, I think perhaps using red small hearts on the belt would have been better to add more contrast. I'm *slowly* beginning to have more of an eye for what fabrics, textures, and colors look best for bd costumes, and will continue to look to your work for reference and inspiration! Oh, and that red costume looks AMAZING! Terrific work with re-making the ill-fitting bra into a stunner!

Sandra: Thank you for your advice and lovely compliments! HA! I laughed so hard when I saw the picture of the lower-end professional Turkish Costume, because the first pro costume that I bought when I began dancing at restaurants in Atlanta looked almost identical to that, except bright pink! (We all have to start somewhere, can I get an "amen"?) I see where you are coming from on that, and I actually did mess around with the belt design a bit to see if I could create a similar effect without just completely plastering the thing with sequins. But as I started, I just kind of decided that my version of the costume would simply replace all the metal parts from the original with sequins. (Here is one of the movie reference pics I used):



In person, it looks much better and less cheap, I promise! Glad you liked the bra, though! And I think sewing red beads around the hearts in my other costume is a good idea...so they're more "heart" and less "blob!" Thanks again, dahhling! I look forward to seeing more of your work on here, too!

Sophie: You know, I have to agree with you....the bras that I purchased for these two costumes were just my usual size (34B), but HEAVILY padded. I like the padding because it adds extra strength to the cups, (and it gives the girls a nice lift!), but I do think next time I purchase a padded bra for costuming purposes, I will go another size up. SO FAR (knock on wood!), I haven't had any wardrobe malfunctions with either of the costumes doing chest isolations or shoulder shimmies. Thank you for pointing that out, as well as the kind words and encouragement!

Nadyasidhe: You know, the thin straps do cut in a little, but I tend to lace things REALLY tight! (Just my preference). If you do want to do a skinny strap, I'd highly recommend ribbon as opposed to, say, yarn (ouch!). I actually probably would have gone a *little* thicker with the ribbon, but that was all I could find in the color I wanted (I am currently going to Dental Hygiene school in Cullman, Alabama, and my supplies are limited!) And a top with three lacing points like that is fairly easy to get into and out of all by yourself, once you've practiced a few times ;) I wish you the best of luck in your costuming adventures!

Next up on the costuming agenda: pop culture-inspired costumes! Wonder Woman bedlah, Guns 'n Roses bedlah, and a Prince costume in the color purple (what else?), festooned with white sequin dove appliqués. I'm so excited to get started! Thanks again, ladies! YOU ROCK!

Okay, quick update before the month of June escapes me completely! In answer to all the responses to my wild green fabric-THANK YOU! :D I'm so glad I bought it. I'm finessing my flounced mermaid skirt pattern for Tamarahenna so I thought I'd use the pattern with my green fabric to make my how-to. I'll post pictures on my blog at Shiny Shimmy.

Meanwhile, I have almost got my sewing area reconstructed after my move though I'm still making due with an extension cord and power strip because there's only one light bulb and one outlet... *sigh*

This past weekend I hosted a student show and just had to have a new costume :) I put the last stitches in just moments before I had to be out the door, but I finally finished my new coin costume, thanks in part to Ozma's coin costume instructional! I'm waiting on the photographer to send me pics but I'll share soon!

I may have to take a slight break from BD costumes to build a pair of photo-realistic LED faerie wings :Aembarassed: Yes, I'm a costume nerd. I'm trying to get my plane ticket to Eugene, Oregon at the end of this month for a HUGE faerie festival that I've been trying to make for the last year.

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

Okay, quick update before the month of June escapes me completely! In answer to all the responses to my wild green fabric-THANK YOU! :D I'm so glad I bought it. I'm finessing my flounced mermaid skirt pattern for Tamarahenna so I thought I'd use the pattern with my green fabric to make my how-to. I'll post pictures on my blog at Shiny Shimmy.
...

I may have to take a slight break from BD costumes to build a pair of photo-realistic LED faerie wings :Aembarassed: Yes, I'm a costume nerd. I'm trying to get my plane ticket to Eugene, Oregon at the end of this month for a HUGE faerie festival that I've been trying to make for the last year.

I have your blog RSS feeded to my LJ, I look forward to updates.

Originally Posted by PassionWarfare

Hi there, Ladies!

I'm a brand new member of bhuz.com, but I have long been admiring the lovely costumes and handiwork on this thread! I have finally just finished two costumes that I have been working on for quite some time, and I wanted to get some opinions, constructive criticism, etc.

The first is a "Queen of Hearts" bedlah, in what I call "Valentine's Day" colors:


The second costume I have finished is a Star Wars Princess Leia from "Return of the Jedi"-inspired costume, which is designed to look like a belly dance cabaret costume version of the metal bikini outfit she wore while in Jabba's Palace:






Any comments or advice on how to improve these costumes would be greatly appreciated! I'm still very much a budding costumer!

Thanks, Ladies, and happy costuming!

-Maddie :)

Hi Maddie :) I have a couple ideas for your costumes. You mentioned that you weren't satisfied with the 3 loops of fringe on the Valentines costume. You'd have to experiment, but I think if you put a bunch of small beads on a 'loop' with a bigger, heavier bead in the middle and hung it from the rib band you might get a big V shape that would be reminiscent of the bottom of a heart (with the tops of the cups completing that impression). Several rows would add some luxury to this piece. Might tangle, but could be worth a shot.

As for the Leia costume I wonder if you could dye the exposed bra top fabric to be more of a brown? In the picture it appears to be a close match to your skin color and reads as bare flesh. A brown would more closely match the reference pic that you posted. Shouldn't hurt the sequins as long as you don't BOIL the top in dye.

Well, it's July 1, but here is my new stretch velvet paisley beledi dress with chiffon sleeve drapes and chiffon insert in the skirt slit. I didn't actually sew it myself but I had a seamstress sew it to my specs for me. I am pleased with the way it turned out:

Originally Posted by dunyah

I love the colors!

Great job!

Originally Posted by dunyah

Gorgeous, Dunyah! LOVE the colors! YUM!

I just finished my coin costume last weekend :) I love it! Am I weird to be especially excited about the wild batik lining that no one will see but me? *belly dancer off her raq'er* ;)

Originally Posted by maiaraqs

Gorgeous, Dunyah! LOVE the colors! YUM!

OMG that it drop-dead gorgeous!

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

I just finished my coin costume last weekend :) I love it! Am I weird to be especially excited about the wild batik lining that no one will see but me? *belly dancer off her raq'er* ;)

You're asking *us*?!?..g.:

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

I just finished my coin costume last weekend :) I love it! Am I weird to be especially excited about the wild batik lining that no one will see but me? *belly dancer off her raq'er* ;)

This kind of thing makes me ridiculously happy, too.

My gold coin costume is lined with fabric with tiny stylized american flags on it. I lined it during election season last year, and it makes me extremely happy to wear it.

In fact, I think I'll wear it for one of my shows tonight. :)

*ETA: please tell me about the skirt configuration for this costume. I'm making one that I'd like to have the same kind of multi-layered irridescent effect.

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

I just finished my coin costume last weekend :) I love it! Am I weird to be especially excited about the wild batik lining that no one will see but me? *belly dancer off her raq'er* ;)

I'm exactly like that. I'd love wearing more because it had a beautiful liner. You're surrounded by fabric geeks! :tongue: woohoo!

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

This kind of thing makes me ridiculously happy, too.

My gold coin costume is lined with fabric with tiny stylized american flags on it. I lined it during election season last year, and it makes me extremely happy to wear it.

In fact, I think I'll wear it for one of my shows tonight. :)

*ETA: please tell me about the skirt configuration for this costume. I'm making one that I'd like to have the same kind of multi-layered irridescent effect.

Haha! I'm glad I'm in good company :D Tamrahenna, This skirt is a series of rectangles that are turned diagonal. I can't remember the dimensions exactly but if you take the length you want the skirt to be and make that your diagonal measurement, then make a T with that line that is 6-8" wide (where it will attach to waistband). I think each rectangle was 18" wide. So it ends up looking like a rectangle with one corner clipped off. I overlapped the panels by a few inches and top stitched them before sewing them directly to the elastic. I'm pretty sure you could make a casing instead. If you use sequin material and sheer organza (crinkled, in this one) be aware that the sequins will be itchy on the waist band so you might want to use a facing or bias tape to make your elastic casing. Hope this makes sense and helps!

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

I just finished my coin costume last weekend :) I love it! Am I weird to be especially excited about the wild batik lining that no one will see but me? *belly dancer off her raq'er* ;)

This is FABULOUS, dahling! You look terrific in this costume, and the picture is just so lovely and vibrant! Very well made! You should be quite proud of your work!

(perhaps I should take direction from you in the "less is more" costume embellishment department!)

Originally Posted by PassionWarfare

This is FABULOUS, dahling! You look terrific in this costume, and the picture is just so lovely and vibrant! Very well made! You should be quite proud of your work!

(perhaps I should take direction from you in the "less is more" costume embellishment department!)

Thank you :) The 'less is more' thing is really just because I'm a fabric nut. Why buy the cool fabric if you can't see it for all the stuff sewn over it? Plus, I'm not sure I'd ever get something completed if I really encrusted it! :P

duh! gonna post in july!