Some tools can make a world of difference 🙂 Today I want to share with you 3 of my favourite sewing tools that made a world of difference to my costume making. After I met these tools, costume making has become easier, faster and more fun! 😀 If you are looking to upgrade your sewing tools, I highly recommend these. I’ll include… Read more →
Tag: Mao
How to Decorate on Stretch Waistband / Stretch Fabric
I like belly dance costumes that have decorations sewn onto the skirt. 🙂 For this type of skirt, you don’t have to wear a separate belt, which can be more comfortable for some of you. At least for me – less opportunity for costume malfunction 😉 But how do you sew decorations to the stretch waistband of… Read more →
How to Make “Naked” Costumes
I’m not a big fan of belly dance costumes that are any more naked than they already are, but sometimes that “naked” design details on costumes can be visually interesting and also create beautiful lines. And when I say “naked”, I mean those cut outs that show your skin or details that mimic the colour of your skin.… Read more →
DIY Beaded Paisley Applique
In my last video, you saw how to make a heart shaped beaded applique. And this week I want to share with you this paisley beaded applique. I love paisley designs, and they look great on costumes in every colour. Let’s get started! Download the free paisley patterns here! To make these paisley appliques, you need: Felt – to use… Read more →
DIY Beaded Heart Applique – for dance costumes, wedding, & decor
Valentine’s Day is coming up! So today I want to share with you how I made this heart shaped beaded applique. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day theme costume decorations or just make one as an accent piece like a hair accessory or Valentine’s Day decor or DIY gift. If you stick to neutral colours like I did here, you can… Read more →
4 Fixes for Gaping Bra Cups – Belly Dance Bra Alteration
I wanted to start off the new year with the most common costuming problem that belly dancers have – gaping bra cups. Our body goes through changes, but most belly dance bra cups are not so flexible. And most of them are heavily decorated, so cutting up the bra cups is too much work and you may wreck the beautiful… Read more →
Plus Size Belly Dance Costuming Guide – 3 Challenges, 15 Great Solutions
A couple of months ago, I asked on Sparkly Belly’s FB group what everyone wanted to see on Sparkly Belly. And the most popular request was plus size costuming tips. So! Here are my take on plus size costuming. I focused on the 3 plus size costuming challenges I hear from Sparkly Belly readers most and used their words to… Read more →
Sparkly Costume Showcase 2016
Christmas has passed, and it’s the end of the year. How was your 2016? My 2016 was lots of learning and meeting new people online and in person. I learned many little sewing techniques while making Sparkly Belly tutorials, and I also took a business program this year. I launched new ebook, Belly Dancer in Business, and new course, Swirly… Read more →
DIY Sparkly Star Appliques!
Welcome back to the Holiday DIY series! In my last 2 posts, you saw how to make a sleeveless choli top with cute double bows and a super easy no-sew skirt for your holiday costume. But I mean, these are great all year around! And today, I want to show you how to make these sparkly star appliques to add to your… Read more →
DIY 10-minute ruffle skirt (Sew or no-sew!)
This may be the easiest DIY I’ve done… 😉 In my last post, you saw how to make a sleeveless choli top that’s perfect for your holiday theme performance. In this post – Holiday DIY series Pt 2 – I’ll show you how to make a SUPER EASY skirt with ruffles. This is so easy that I’m not sure I call… Read more →