DIY Belly Dance Practice Outfit Part 2: Hip Scarf with Ruffles

In my last week’s tutorial, we made this easy loose crop top that’s perfect for dance practice! So in today’s tutorial, let’s make a matching hip scarf with ruffles to complete our belly dance practice outfit!

It’s fun & easy 🙂 Let’s get started!

Click here to learn more about the Belly Dance Costume Workshop!

To make this hip scarf, you need:

Jersey knit – I used 1m of this jersey knit to make both the top and the hip scarf. 

Matching color thread

Paper to make a pattern with – Any paper like craft paper or wrapping paper will do. You’ll need about 50cm x 1m (or 20in x 40in).

How to Make DIY Hip Scarf

First, take these 2 measurements:

1. Belt line – this is where the waistband of the hip scarf will be. Measure the circumference here. Usually this is below your belly button.
2. Hipline – this is the fullest part of your hips. Measure the circumference.

Take your paper, and fold it at approximately ⅓ of the width from the edge. 

With the longer side of the paper facing up, pick a point at the top of the fold of the paper and draw a horizontal line. This line should be perpendicular to the fold.

Then measure a quarter of your belt line measurement minus 3cm (1 1/4in) along this horizontal line from the fold. Make a mark there.

Back to the fold, measure down 5cm (2in) and measure the same amount as above from here. Make a mark.

Next go down 7.5cm (3in) along the fold, and from there, measure a quarter of your hipline measurement minus 1.5cm (5/8in).

Then go down 22.5cm (9in), and again from the fold, measure the same measurement which is a quarter of your hipline measurement minus 1.5cm (5/8in). 

Connect the dots and it should look like this. Smooth out the lines at the side.

Then along this line, measure 10cm (4in) up from the bottom line. 

And keeping both layers together, cut along the lines along the top all the way to the 10cm mark we made here just now.

Open up the paper, and on the shorter side of the paper, extend the side and bottom lines as we did on the other side and cut along the line up to the fold of the paper.

Now we’ll draw the ruffle part. From the 10cm mark,draw a horizontal line that’s 25cm (10in) long. Then extend the bottom line by the same amount.

And draw a curved line that looks like a half circle that connects the 10cm mark and the end of this line, and it should touch this extended bottom line.

Then extend the side line down by 10cm (4in). And connect the end of this line to where the fold line and the bottom line intersect. 

And measure 10cm from the half circle and make marks all the way to the end of the horizontal line. Connect the dots.

Connect the straight line to this new curved line smoothly. And give these curved lines a round end like this. 

Cut along these lines so you have a pattern that looks like a mini skirt with a cat tail. Alright, moving on!

Fold the fabric right sides together, and make sure the direction of stretch is parallel to the fold of the fabric. 

Place the pattern on the fabric, and cut along the pattern. We don’t need to add any seam allowance here. Just follow the pattern. 

And if you can’t fit in the pattern like this, cut 1 panel at a time.

So you should have 2 panels like this.

And the sewing part is easy!

Place the panels right sides together, and do a zigzag stitch along the straight side seam as well as the curly side like this with a 1cm (3/8in) seam allowance.

Then fold 2.5cm (1in) from the top edge over to the wrong side, and do a zigzag stitch right along the raw edge of the fabric.

At the bottom edge, fold 1cm (3/8in) from the edge to the wrong side all the way to just below the side seam and do a zigzag stitch. I left the ruffle edges unfinished, so the ruffles look soft. And we used stretch fabric, so the edges won’t unravel.

Turn it inside out, and your ruffle hip scarf is complete!

Now have fun with your very own belly dance practice outfit!

The dangling ruffles are so cute and add lots of fun to your outfit! Both the top and hip scarf are pretty easy to make, so you’ll be able to make a few sets in no time! It’ll feel so great to show up in your next online class in your brand new top & hip scarf!

Now that you’ve got yourself a cute practice outfit, why not make your very own performance outfit? 😉

In my Belly Dance Costume Workshop, you can learn to make a professional and well-fitting belly dance costume from scratch!

You can start from learning about dancewear fabrics and how to sew them, then move on to make your very own belly dance bra, belt and mermaid skirt all made to your measurements!

Then you’ll learn beading and embellishment techniques too, so you can decorate your very own costume!

The enrollment for this workshop only opens a few times a year, and the next one is opening next week! Click the image below to learn more and sign up to be invited!

Learn more about the Belly Dance Costume Workshop here!

Can’t wait to help you create your very own, professional costume! 😀

Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling!

P.S. Pin this image for your future project 😉