Thread: Elaborate cut out belt help... pretty pleeeease?

I want to make a bedlah set with a celtic knot design. The knotwork is going to be cut out. The problem is that I have no idea about how to do the cutouts so they don't look messy. I can cover the buckram and fold the fabric over the edges, but do I line the back, and if so, how?

If I don't do something , the edges of the cutouts will look funny...

Any advice would be very helpful, and if anyone has a belt with cutouts, could they please post a picture of the inside, so I can see what's going on?

Thanks in advance. ..l;,

There are a number of threads about how to stabilize cut outs. (e.g., http://www.bhuz.com/forum/belly-danc...made-them.html, http://www.bhuz.com/forum/belly-danc...ish-style.html) I think people usually recommend a combination of stiff interfacings and occasionally some sort of fray check if the fabric needs it. To get a formal finish to the edges, cut smaller holes in your top fabric than your cut outs, and snip so you can turn the edges to the back. For the back, I'd recommend using a stable, non-fraying fabric, where you can tack it up to the edges of the cut outs, but without having to worry about turning under.

Another option would be to use an iron on interfacing on the "wrong side" (side not showing) of the fabric you will be making the cut-outs. Once you iron the interfacing to the fabric, you can easily cut out the holes you want without worrying about the fabric fraying. For added strength, I'd recommend using a tight whip stitch around the cut-outs.

As for a lining the back, have you thought of using a nude fabric that matches you skin-tone? That way, you don't have to worry about cutting holes into it.

Hope that helps!

xoxo M.

I had the same thought as Mark about using a nude fabric for lining.

Since a celtic knot is fairly intricate, I would stabalize the cutouts by using 22 guage craft wire sewn around the edges of the cutouts. Do this before you cover your belt with fabric.

Thanks people. I kind of thought it would be something like that, but wanted to check with people who might have actually done it before I made any fatal mistakes.
I hadn't thought of iron on interfacing to stop fraying. I'll definitely have to do the wire trick though, I was a bit worried about the whole thing folding over onto itself after all that work!

I would be wary of making the knot/cutouts too elaborate, otherwise, they won't show up clearly, and just look blobby from anything more than a metre away.

You could bead the edges in a contrasting colour, to make them show more clearly, and to avoid fabric fraying issues. It's not like you need the edges to be stretchy, so beads will also help to stabilise the fabric.

I second the recommendation of iron-on; I like Heat n' Bond as you can adhere two layers of fabric and it is super strong. You'll want the cutout areas to be quite stiff.

You could also use fabric paint in a pretty or contrasting colour to seal the edges, or bind the edges in a narrow bias edging (hand-sew or use fabric glue).