Last week I showed you how you can make a custom pattern for a baladi dress using your own shirt. So glad to receive emails and comments from dancers telling me that they are excited about this pattern! 😀
This week, we’ll sew all the pieces together. So let’s get started!
Get your FREE keyhole neckline pattern here!
Check out the FREE costume making course, Belly Dance Costume Making 101 from here!
How to Make Baladi Dress / Saidi Dress
To sew together the Baladi dress, you need:
The front and back panels and sleeves that we made last week
Leftover fabric from last week
Matching colour thread
Basic sewing tools (See Resource page for my favourite tools)
First, place the front and back panels right sides together, and sew the shoulder seams together with a 1 cm or 1/2in seam allowance. Use a zigzag stitch or other stretch stitch styles.
Next, take the leftover fabric from last week, and cut a long strip that is 2cm or 1 3/4in wide. Make sure it’s cut in the direction of stretch. You can just cut the whole width of your fabric. This will be our bias tape for finishing up the neckline.
Place our tape right at the edge of the keyhole on the wrong side of the fabric. The right side of the tape is facing the wrong side of the fabric. Pin it all the way around the keyhole and cut off the excess.
Take it to the sewing machine, and sew with a 5mm or 1/4in seam allowance.
Fold the tape out, and press it with low heat. Turn it inside out, and from the right side of the dress, fold in the edge of the tape 5mm or 1/4in or so, and press.
Along the folding line you created with the iron, fold the tape and fold it again and over to the right side of the fabric so that it covers the stitches from earlier. Pin it in place, and stitch very close to the fold. Press again for a clean finish.
We’ll repeat the same thing for the rest of the neckline, but start at 30cm or 12in from the end of the tape. Pin it all the way around the wrong side of the neckline and leave another 30cm or 12in at the other end.
Sew along the neckline with a 5mm or 1/4in seam allowance.
Press, fold the edge and press again. Fold over the tape to cover the stitches, and place pins.
Also fold in 5mm or 1/4in from the ends of the tape, then the rest of the tape 5mm or 1/4in towards the centre and fold in half, and press this too. Place pins to hold the folds.
Back to the sewing machine, stitch the whole thing very close to the folded line. And the most challenging part of this dress is finished.
Now take the sleeve pieces. Don’t be afraid, sewing sleeves with stretch fabric is easy. Place one of the sleeves on the dress right sides together, and match up the notch of the sleeve and the shoulder seam. Place a pin there.
Then match up the end corners with the corners of the dress and place pins.
For the rest, distribute the fabric as evenly as you can and place pins. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just make sure the top notch is aligned with the shoulder seam and end corners are together, and spread the fabric evenly.
Take it to the sewing machine, and stitch the 2 layers together with a 1cm or 1/2in seam allowance. Don’t forget to use a zigzag stitch or other stretch stitch. If the curved edges are difficult to match up, you can gently pull the shorter layer here and ease in the layers into the sewing machine. It helps to go slow.
Do the same for the other sleeve.
Then lay your dress so that all panels are facing right sides together, and sew together from the slit mark up all the way to the end of sleeves. Use a 1cm or 1/2in seam allowance.
And finally we’ll finish up any raw edges. For the sleeves, the opening towards the elbow should be folded in 1cm or 1/2in and just stitch around the edge.
Then fold over the end of sleeves, the slits and the bottom of the dress 1cm or 1/2in and stitch around the edges.
And that’s it! Feel free to add trims or beading to decorate your dress, or you can wear it simply as it is. It should fit nice and snug around the hips, and the rest is loosely fitted and comfortable like your original shirt. I think it’s a good, basic baladi dress perfect for both students and professional dancers.
Next week we’ll finish up this baladi dress series by making a hip scarf, and I’ll show you how I decorated it. So stay tuned, and for now, enjoy putting together your baladi dress!
If you want the pattern for the keyhole neckline, you can get it for free here:
Get your FREE keyhole neckline pattern here!
When you are finished, please share your creation on Sparkly Belly’s Facebook group. And if you want to make more costume pieces that fit your size, check out my free course, Belly Dance Costume Making 101.;)
Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling!
P.S. Want to try other classic baladi dress designs with a modern flare like these?
If so, check out the Aziza Baladi Dress! ↓↓
Make your own Aziza Baladi Dress here!
Want to make more costuming bits yourself?
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