Thread: Coin belts by Susie ROCKS!!!!!!

I am so thrilled by this vendor's product that I have to rave a bit.

I just sold off a couple of costumes to fund the acquisition of a real coin set. I ordered a set from Coin Belts by Susie and it arrived a couple of days ago. Oh my god, it is wonderful. I ordered a silver one made from an assortment of international coins.

She uses high quality chain and jump rings, and the craftsmanship is superb. The design was exactly what I wanted. She was friendly and communicative and send pictures to me to confirm exactly what I wanted. She made my custom order very fast and shipped it out just as quickly. It came well-packaged with each piece (bra drape, belt, headpiece) in its own pretty little drawstring cloth bag.

If any of you are familiar with Costless Costumes, well, her stuff is just as nice, maybe better, for a fraction of the price (still a chunk of change to be sure, but Costless prices are just ridiculous).

I have to make a bra and belt base to attach them to before I wear them, but I will post pics as soon as I can.

Check her out! Coin Belts by Susie

Those look like really nice belts. I just looked my old Costless one up and found it is up to $385 now which is wild since I'd thought of selling it for a hundred.

I just bought a set from Susie and I have to second Sedonia's rave. Susie is the best and my bra/belt set is gorgeous!!!! when I get mine installed on a base I will post photos too. Thanks for the recommendation Sedonia!

Originally Posted by jaziri

Those look like really nice belts. I just looked my old Costless one up and found it is up to $385 now which is wild since I'd thought of selling it for a hundred.

I was just checking prices on the Costless site too, since I know I'll never fit into either of mine again. OMG, they're expensive now! One of mine was made from Iraqi coins with palm trees. I think those coins are kinda rare now.

Originally Posted by bintbeled

I was just checking prices on the Costless site too, since I know I'll never fit into either of mine again. OMG, they're expensive now! One of mine was made from Iraqi coins with palm trees. I think those coins are kinda rare now.

I "outgrew" my two Costless sets and I ordered more parts from them to make them work for me. They didn't have the same coins (and I'm SURE they don't have your coins!) but I was able to make it work. I ordered enough extra to make an additional bra, so I have a gold bra and a purple bra I can wear with the same belt (no belt base). Latifa, you saw the gold bra at Yucy's show last July-I'm sure you remember!..g.:

I'm glad this was posted as I have seen this site before and wondered. There are some Costless knock-offs that are poorly made. It's nice to see that these are good!

Originally Posted by SandraDances

I "outgrew" my two Costless sets and I ordered more parts from them to make them work for me. They didn't have the same coins (and I'm SURE they don't have your coins!) but I was able to make it work. I ordered enough extra to make an additional bra, so I have a gold bra and a purple bra I can wear with the same belt (no belt base). Latifa, you saw the gold bra at Yucy's show last July-I'm sure you remember!..g.:

I'm glad this was posted as I have seen this site before and wondered. There are some Costless knock-offs that are poorly made. It's nice to see that these are good!

Yup, I remember seeing that bra. That was a fun show....

these pieces are amazing! i ve been looking for pretty coined belly drapes ever since I saw Suhaila Salimpour s old performance on the BDSS :)))

I just fitted my bra and belt to a base and I have to say oh la la! I'm terribly impressed with how nice this bra and belt turned out (pat myself on the back for the base) and I'm terribly impressed with how good Susie's set looks. I've got a shoot scheduled in the not too distant future and I'll post pictures then, woo!

Where did the link go?

Sedonia, weren't you going to post some photos?

Originally Posted by bdaddiction

Where did the link go?

oh no! maybe Susie didn't renew her webhosting? I'll look to see if I still have her email address.

Okay, lol...

I even tried googling her, but I just came up with how great her stuff is.

ps those photos aren't from my shoot, they are from a gig I danced at yesterday. I just got sent the photos so I thought I'd share.

:-)

My set is silver, not really antique, perhaps not a bright as some silvers, just the color of our US nickels and dimes. Here's a new link to Susie's site. Hopefully this one will work:

Coin Belts by Susie

thanks for sharing!!!!!! this bra and belt is amazingly beautiful!!!!!! is it copper? or antique silver? i somehow cant tell!

Originally Posted by shems

My set is silver, not really antique, perhaps not a bright as some silvers, just the color of our US nickels and dimes. Here's a new link to Susie's site. Hopefully this one will work:

Coin Belts by Susie

Thanks Shems! :zillevil:

Shems, I have had multiple issues with mine so it is still in a heap in my sewing room. {very depressed}

1. First of all, I have had issues attaching the belt to a base. I tried sewing it on a base but the thread worked its way through the jump rings (even though the jump rings are nice quality and well fitted). I tried sewing around the entire jump ring but the threads still worked their way through.

Right now it is pinned to a 2" wide belt strapping with a bajillion quilting safety pins (the kind with the angle in the middle). I can't come up with anything else to do with it in terms of putting it on a belt base. I was going to baste some kind of lining over the safety-pin encrusted back of the strapping and hope the pins stay in place.

#2 Which brings me to problem #2 -- I am so cylindrical around the hip area that even on a belt base, I am not sure how to make 10 lbs of metal stay in place and not just slide on down. Gravity is my enemy with this costume.

3. Which brings me to problem #3 I have lost weight since placing my order and now the belt doesn't fit me any more. I can't see how to remove any coins around the hipband part because each coin has a swag attached to it, and the swags are all symmetrical. It is going to need major deconstruction/reconstruction.


Can you describe how exactly you attached yours to a belt? Mine appears to be more or less like yours -- 2 rows of big coins around the top and swags hangig down. it is in 2 pieces.

As for problem #1: I've sewn through the holes in the coins when attaching a coin bra cover to a base. Maybe that can work?

Originally Posted by steffib

As for problem #1: I've sewn through the holes in the coins when attaching a coin bra cover to a base. Maybe that can work?

The holes are just big enough for the jump rings to go through. I can't get a needle through,f::

use a piece of cord, rather than thread, to loop in and out of the jump rings. then sew the cord to your base? could that work?

Originally Posted by Kathiya

use a piece of cord, rather than thread, to loop in and out of the jump rings. then sew the cord to your base? could that work?

Yes, I have thought of that -- cording or ribbon -- but I'd either have to find cord that wouldn't unravel when cut, or I'd have to edge finish both ends of each little piece, the thought of which makes me just a little insane.

Any suggestions as to what kind of cording?

My next step would be to try adding split rings somewhere and then sewing the split rings to the base.

Originally Posted by ssipes

Yes, I have thought of that -- cording or ribbon -- but I'd either have to find cord that wouldn't unravel when cut, or I'd have to edge finish both ends of each little piece, the thought of which makes me just a little insane.

Any suggestions as to what kind of cording?

how about the type of cord that you melt the end of, using a candle or something? sure the end wouldn't be really pretty, but it would be safe from coming apart, and hardly visible from a distance. or even not visible at all if you make a double layered base and tuck the end between both layers.

or, yeah do what steffi suggests, adding rings...

or how about 'welding" the split rings so they aren't split anymore?

soldering the rings shut. But if I were you i'd add split rings to the base coins. Melting the ends of a polyester cord actually works pretty good. mmm, melted plastic

Shems your costume looks gorgeous.

Originally Posted by jetgirl

soldering the rings shut. But if I were you i'd add split rings to the base coins. Melting the ends of a polyester cord actually works pretty good. mmm, melted plastic

What tool do you use for soldering on a costume? Based on my experiences as amateur plumber, I would not go anywhere near my costumes with the blowtorch ;-) I'd use that thing for Creme Brulee, but not on my Cost Less.

Originally Posted by steffib

My next step would be to try adding split rings somewhere and then sewing the split rings to the base.

Are split rings like tiny car key rings?

I don't have a soldering iron, but yes I have thought of this too.

Shemmssss! what did you do?

Originally Posted by steffib

What tool do you use for soldering on a costume? Based on my experiences as amateur plumber, I would not go anywhere near my costumes with the blowtorch ;-) I'd use that thing for Creme Brulee, but not on my Cost Less.

lol a blowtorch??
no, what i had in mind is what my dad/brother use for small metal thingies. it's kinda this metallic 'pen' that the tip heats up, and you use it to melt the end of a thin wire (of the same metal that your thing-you're-trying-to-weld is). all it takes is one droplet of metal to close your rings...

edit: soldering iron is the word i was looking for :D