Thread: Beledi/saidi dress pattern

Is there a pattern for these dresses?

https://www.dahlal.com/ctl/showcostu...R_close_lg.jpg

I'm not aware of one, but there are lots of tunic patterns on the market (e.g., Sewing Patterns : Simplicity Patterns : Misses Tops or Butterick - B4684 - MISSES'/MISSES' PETITE TOP AND TUNIC - 4684), and you could modify one of those to get a similar look.

Atira's Fashions has one. Try Artemis Imports as a vendor who I think sells them.

Magdalena of Dallas (formerly of NYC) has remade these for our troupe. She based her pattern off of a dress she had purchased from Dahlal.

Here are our costumes:

The dresses are cut straight up and down (two rectangles). No darts. Ever so slight shaping at the waist one on I have; none at all on the others. They are cut small out of very stretchy lycra ITB (like a lightweight jersey) so that they stretch to fit your curves. Neckline is round with vertical slash in the neckline. Because the cut is smaller than you are, the fabric stretches and the slash opens to make a vee. You can put hook and eye at the top of the slash to turn it in to a keyhole neckline. Neckline is has narrow facing to support the weight of the beading. Sleeves are slashed at the elbow. Trim is simple on sleeves and splits in side of skirt is simple bead and paillete.

Many of the commercial kaftan patterns are not made for stretch and they are cut more roomy and flare more at the hemline. This is cut straight, no flare.

Sorry, I should have been clearer up thread. When I said I didn't know of a pattern like this, I was referring to one that is designed to be very form fitting and made from stretch fabric. I haven't seen a top or a dress in that style in either a dancer-made or commercial pattern. I think one of the BD Patterns does accommodate knit fabrics, but almost (if not) all of the dancer-made patterns on the market were designed before the tight beledi dress style became popular, and they tend to run looser. Personally, I've had a bad experience with sizing on dancer-made patterns, so I'm leery of using them. (Since when is XS the equivalent of a commercial size 12?) OTOH, patterns are always a crap shoot. If you luck out and they size to a good fit on you, you're all set. Otherwise, you'll have to tweak things.

The problem with working with stretch fabrics is that it is more complicated than just cutting a couple of sizes smaller and choosing fabric with a lot of give. Getting the shoulder seams and arm holes to fit properly can be challenging, and the larger your bust, the more of an issue it can be. It may be more authentic to not have darts or any kind of bust seaming in the garment, but more endowed women can sometimes benefit from bending that rule. Whatever you decide to try, you should consider making a test run first, since it make take more than one attempt to get the look you want. You'll also want to make sure you use proper sewing techniques for stretch fabric and wooly nylon thread so that you don't blow out your seams taking the dress on and off.

Originally Posted by Souzan

Many of the commercial kaftan patterns are not made for stretch and they are cut more roomy and flare more at the hemline. This is cut straight, no flare.

That's why I prefer to modify a tunic pattern. The second example I linked fits fairly narrow through the hips, and you could extend the hem to the ground without flaring it out. The first example does flare a little, but I thought it would be easier to adjust the snugness since it had seams down the front. After you get the fit, you can open up the test run and use your modified front and back as your new pattern.

Originally Posted by Souzan

The dresses are cut straight up and down (two rectangles). No darts. Ever so slight shaping at the waist one on I have; none at all on the others. They are cut small out of very stretchy lycra ITB (like a lightweight jersey) so that they stretch to fit your curves. Neckline is round with vertical slash in the neckline. Because the cut is smaller than you are, the fabric stretches and the slash opens to make a vee. You can put hook and eye at the top of the slash to turn it in to a keyhole neckline. Neckline is has narrow facing to support the weight of the beading. Sleeves are slashed at the elbow. Trim is simple on sleeves and splits in side of skirt is simple bead and paillete.

Many of the commercial kaftan patterns are not made for stretch and they are cut more roomy and flare more at the hemline. This is cut straight, no flare.

Awesome. This is very helpful. So the body of the dress is two rectangles. What about the sleeves?

I took photos of my Hanan Sa'aidi dresses, to show the construction, and blogged them
here.

Thanks, Bea. I noticed that, like my Hannan dresses, one of yours looks straight up and down and one looks like it is slightly fitted in the torso via side seams. Since I have broad shoulders and large bust, I have to get them larger and then take in the torso a bit so that it fits my relatively smaller hips and rear end more closely. Long torso darts seem to give a better shape than taking it in at the side seams--at least for my body type (T with an apple in the middle!)

Great!! Thanks!!!