Author: Mao

How to Alter a Beaded 90s Belly Dance Bra with Chani Pt 1

Do you have a beaded bra that needs an upgrade? But not sure where to start? Altering a heavily decorated bra can be overwhelming and intimidating. But in this post, Chani, our alteration expert, will show you how she approached this refurbishment project on a bra covered with beads and stones. Enjoy 🙂 This, from the start, was the most… Read more →

What is Horsehair Braid? How to Use it for Belly Dance Costumes

If you’re interested in making a professional belly dance costume, you must know this secret ingredient every famous designer uses – It’s horsehair braid 🙂 You’ve probably seen it being used to finish the hem of skirts and dresses for dance costumes or wedding dresses or evening gowns. It’s also used to accentuate ruffle details. It creates large waves and… Read more →

How to Make the Waistband Work on Belly Dance Skirt without a Belt

A belly dance outfit usually comes with a bra top, belt, and a skirt, or you may choose a belly dance skirt without a belt. If you’re making a costume from scratch, the second option is less time-consuming, so it’s a great option for simpler costumes or troupe costumes. 🙂 But the problem is, how do you make the waistband… Read more →

DIY Basic Belly Dance Hip Scarf Pattern (with Tassels)

I’ve done all kinds of hip scarfs and overskirts tutorials over the years, but I’ve realized I don’t have a good, basic belly dance hip scarf pattern yet! So that’s what we’re going to make today. 🙂 This design is very basic, cute and versatile, and super easy to make!   In this video, you’ll see how to make this hip… Read more →

How to Add Drape to Belly Dance Skirts (super easy!)

There are many ways to add an interesting feature to a simple skirt, but what’s more romantic than a little drape or a swag? ðŸ™‚ Creating perfectly draped fabric can be tricky, but in this tutorial, I’ll show you a super-easy way to add drape to a belly dance skirt. Let’s get started! Resources mentioned in the video: Detachable side swag… Read more →

How to Add a Ruffle To a Skirt Slit

Do you have a skirt that could use a little makeover? You can easily transform a simple skirt into an exciting ruffle skirt if you know how to add a ruffle to a skirt! The original skirt is from my 3-panel mermaid skirt tutorial, and I decided to add ruffles to upgrade it. In this video, you’ll see how to… Read more →

Sparkly Belly Student Showcase 2021

The best part of my job is seeing my students’ creations 🙂 It’s quite magical when costumers combine what they learned in my courses and their creativity, and create their very own belly dance costumes. I often learn from them too! Let me show you what I mean. Here are 9 of my students and their beautiful creations! Sparkly Belly… Read more →

How to Make Seed Bead Fringe with Chani

Are you in love with beaded fringe but not sure how to create it yourself? Do you have a costume that needs an upgrade? In this post, Chani, our alteration expert, will show you how to create beaded fringe to give your costume more movement and shimmer. Enjoy 🙂 Greetings, Dancers! I hope this finds you well and enjoying dancing,… Read more →