How to Make Your Belly Dance Belt Adjustable by 4in or more!

Last week I shared with you 6 multi-size belly dance top ideas.

Continuing the multi-size theme, this week I want to show you how to make your belly dance belt adjustable 🙂

You’re probably guessing I’ll be adding extra hooks… and you’re right! But we’ll ALSO add a secret ingredient that keeps the extended section of the belt neatly in place, so you can wear the same belt whether you shrink or expand! It’s an easy & neat trick you can try today!

Let’s get started!

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How to Make Your Belly Dance Belt Adjustable!

To make your belly dance belt adjustable, you need:

An applique that matches your belt – I’m using one from my DIY applique kit shop or you can make your own (Make your own applique in my applique making course 🙂 ) The applique I’m using here is about 9.5cm (3 3/4in) in diameter.

1cm (3/8in) wide elastic – it’s best if you can match the color of the elastic to the color of your belt, but if not, pick the closest one available.

4 pant hooks

For this example, I’m going to be using this 1 simple long belt with 2 hooks and bars at the ends. 

First, to extend the belt length, we’ll add an applique to the end of the front panel. 

If the back side of your applique is not protected and threads are showing, I recommend you sew on or at least glue on a piece of felt. This way the stitches are protected.

Sew on a matching applique at the end of the front panel of your belt.

Then line up the back panel and locate the bars, so you can find where to attach extra hooks on the back side of the applique. Then sew on 2 extra hooks. I attached these hooks towards the edge of the applique to give the most length I can get from this applique, but you can attach them wherever you like.

And here’s the fun part. Cut the elastic into a piece that’s 2cm longer than the width of the belt. Then using a 1cm (3/8in) seam allowance at both ends, sew the elastic onto the back of the applique, close to the edge. If you have the hooks there like mine, they can overlap each other.

And that’s it! This elastic will act as a belt loop. So to wear the belt, insert the back panel through the elastic belt loop, and close the belt with the hooks. Because of the elastic belt loop, even if you use the hooks on the inside, the extended part of the belt won’t stick out.

And even if you use the hooks at the edge, the elastic loop will keep the back panel nice and secure.

If you want to add a shorter size option, add 2 more hooks on the inside of the front panel. 

With 4 extra hooks and an applique, I can now adjust this belt by 10cm (4in). If you want more range, you can add additional hooks and extension parts.

Also, I used a belt that comes in 1 piece, but if you use a belt that comes separate front and back panels, you can have more size options!

Adding hooks is nothing new, but I just love having this elastic belt loop because I don’t have to worry about the leftover belt flapping around, and if you plan to sell your belt in the future, you can have the size range you want without doing a major surgery to the belt!

Hope you enjoyed this trick, and if you did, please share this post with all your dancer friends and students! I think every belly dancer should know it!

But what if you can make a belt to fit you from the beginning? Imagine having a perfectly-fitting costume that’s custom made to your unique measurements!

I teach how to make a perfectly-fitting belly dance costume in my online program, Belly Dance Costume Workshop.

And the next enrollment opens next week! Click the link below to learn more and get a special invite to the enrollment and special discounts!

Learn more about the BDCW here!

And next week, leading up to the BDCW enrollment, I’ll be sharing with you my secrets on how to make a belt pattern that fits. It’s only available for my newsletter subscribers only, so if you want to learn to make a perfectly-fitting belt pattern to fit you, make sure to sign up for my newsletter below:

Sign up here to get the belt pattern making tutorial!

Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling!

P.S. Pin this image so you can try it on your belt this weekend!

Like what you read? Want to make more costuming bits yourself?

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