How to Make Fabric Fringe with Rhinestones

How to make fabric fringe with rhinestones for belly dance costumes and ballroom dresses

Today I want to share with you how to make fabric fringe with sparkly rhinestones!

This super trendy decoration has been used on professional belly dance costumes and ballroom dresses in recent years. It is actually really easy to make and creates a great layer and movement for your belly dance outfits and other dance dresses.

Let’s get started!

To make fabric fringe, you need:

Stretch fabric – I recommend lightweight lycra. 

Rhinestones – I’m using SS20 flatback rhinestones and 7mm wide navette stones here.

Gemtac glue

Materials needed for how to make fabric fringe

How to make fabric fringe with rhinestones

First, cut your fabric into a rectangular panel like this. The width is your desired fringe length plus 1cm (3/8in). The length is how long you want the fringe to be.

Length and width needed for how to make fabric fringe

Using a marker with disappearing ink or something that’s easy to erase, draw a horizontal line at 1cm (3/8in) from the top edge.

Draw a line across the top edge that is 1cm from the top

Then draw vertical lines. I’m using SS20 rhinestones here, which are about 5mm wide, so I’m making this fringe 8mm wide. It’s really up to your preference, but I like each strand to be just a little wider than the rhinestones. Also, thinner strands make more delicate fringe.

draw vertical lines the width of your fabric fringe you want to make

Then glue on rhinestones on each strand. I placed my rhinestones about a few mm apart from each other. It looks nice when the stones are placed the same distance apart from each other.

Glue your rhinestones to your fabric fringe

Once the glue dries, take a pair of sharp scissors or a rotary blade, and cut according to the vertical lines. I recommend using a rotary blade for a clean finish. Take your time and cut these lines as neatly as possible. And do not cut through the top. Stop at the horizontal line, so the top of the strands are all connected.

Cut out your fringe using a rotary blade to make your fabric fringe

I’ve seen people pull these strands at this point, which curls up the edges. But I like these flat strands better so I’ll leave the edges as they are.

How to make fabric fringe completed

And your fabric fringe with rhinestones is complete! You can simply sew and apply the fringe tape on a bra top, belt, or skirt. It’s made of stretchy fabric, so you can attach it to a stretchy material, and you won’t have any problems! 

Add your fabric fringe to your belly dance costume.

You can hide the tape with appliques or more fringe or other embellishments. It’s cool to layer some beaded fringe too.

Add on appliques and larger rhinestones to your fabric fringe for a complete look.
You can add beaded fringe to your fabric fringe for a layered look

Also, you can cut each strand apart and attach it individually as well. It’s a very cool look.

You can also add individual strands to create a layered look.

Here I made the fringe out of stretch mesh. This is fun too!

How to make fabric fringe completed look on a belly dance bra top

This fabric fringe is super easy to make and beginner-friendly, so it’s a great option for decorating troupe costumes as well!

Now have fun, and if you’re interested in decorating your costume with bead fringe, I did a tutorial on that last week, so have a look at that as well!

How to make beaded fringe tutorial

Want to master more techniques like this?

If you’re interested in learning how to decorate your belly dance outfits or create your very own costumes from scratch, check out my belly dance costume-making courses in the All-Access Membership. You can learn to make so many classic costume designs as well as trendy ones, to fit your own measurements! Learn more by clicking the image below!

Sparkly Belly all-access membership

Hope you liked this fabric fringe tutorial, and if you did, please subscribe to my channel, and share this tutorial with your dancer friends! 

Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling!

P.S. Pin this on your decoration idea board 😉

How To Make fabric fringe with rhinestones for belly dance costumes and ballroom dresses

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