I really want to do this with some woven ankara fabric. This is the style of many traditional outfits and it would be awesome if I could do this myself!
I didn't just enjoy, I love this tutorial. Thanks. Will have this for my next project. You really are a great teacher when it comes to tutorials. Kudos!
Thank you, Spartan ECHO! So exciting that you are making your own prom dress! Yes, do share a photo on the Facebook page, I'm sure everyone will love to see it! :)
Just started making mine tonight for Halloween..I'm making the non-stretch version per your instructions in the comment sections of the two videos so hopefully it turns out okay!
Aw, thank YOU for your sweet words, *****! So happy that you feel like trying it out yourself :) I truly believe that knowing how to sew is empowering for dancers :)
Could you make a video on how to hem stretch fabric without it looking wavy? It is nice that one doesn’t have to hem this fabric, but it looks nicer and more polished if one does. All the tutorials I have been able to find are more for how to hem jersey knit for a t-shirt or recommend a cover stitch machine.
I made this for a upcoming performance this weekend. Except I made the panel's smaller so there were more of them and I added a waistband and it looks amazing! Thanks for making this amazing tutorial!
Its amazing....I loved it...but there is one thing I wud luv to ask...! R we supposed to put an elastic at the upper portion of the skirt or its is all complete without it..?
Abhishek Belly Dancer Thank you! I completed this one without elastic, since the pattern was made to the size of the belt line. This tends to work with fairly sturdy type of spandex fabric. BUT if your fabric is loose and/or if you feel uncomfortable, you can simply sew on elastic around the inside of the top rim, or add a thin waistband and put elastic through it :) If you do beading around the top, the skirt may lose some stretch, so you may not need extra elastic :)
This tutorial is now available with Spanish, Italian, German and French subtitles!! Click on "CC" to turn on your language :) Big thanks to Nageena, Laura and the French translator!!
thanks for the concern......:) but what if i am stitching the same skirt using a polyster fabric...? then also am i supposed to put an elastic through it..?
Abhishek Belly Dancer You're welcome! You mean you are making the skirt with fabric that doesn't stretch? If so, then yes, you will need to sew on elastic or make a casing and put elastic through it :) And also, take out that "1.2" from the formula when you are making the pattern, which is covered in Part 1 of this video. The 1.2 accounts for stretch, so if your fabric doesn't stretch, you don't want to include that. :) Hope this is clear!
Thank you very for the tutorial of how to make a mermaid dress. my daughter like it very much a d want me to make her one but I 'm kind of stuck on the thread. What kind of thread do u used for this type of stretchable fabrics? Do u used just regular threads or the elastic stretchable thread and what kind of needles do u used? I need to make one for my daughter very soon and hope you're respond soon. Thank you in advance.
Thanks for your kind words! You can use regular thread, but make sure to use "stretch" or "jersey" needles. They make a world of difference in sewing stretch fabric :) Also, use stretch stitch (zigzag or other stretch stitch that your machine has) for waistband, and narrow zigzag for vertical lines. Hope this works, and if you have any more questions, email me at mao@sparklybelly.com. I respond faster by email :)
I don't belly dance, but I love flared skirts and was wondering to to best make a panel skirt (something I haven't made yet, but have made a straight down skirt with elastic). I have some glittery black fabric that I'd like to make into a skirt to attend a friend's piano recital, but I don't want to ruin that fabric. I want to know that I will love the skirt I make from it! I could lose some weight, so I'm thinking I may do this kind of thing but have the straight up part just a a waist and maybe make the panels a little narrower but still enough flare and flow to enjoy nice evening outings in.
+Lavenderrose73 Definitely :) Or you could just make it with fewer panels. Often formal dresses are made out of 3-4 panels :) By the way, I know how you feel about your beautiful fabric! I have this fabric I want to make something out of, but I love it so much that I haven't touched it in months...!
Hmmm, yes I'm thinking maybe 3 if the back seam isn't too obvious. I know I don't want one in the front, which is why I'm hesitant to go 4, but 3 may work. Maybe I'll try that with other fabric first before I decide on the black fabric..
Hey! Thanks for the informative video! Question - How do you know how much fabric to buy? How much did you use? Also, would I be able to do this with 3 panels instead so the front slits could be set wider (could you do 2 slits?), or would that be weird?
+ShadowLeafAliyah Good questions! I used 3 meters of fabric, since I was able to fit 2 panels in the width at once. But if you use fabric with nap (ie fabric that comes with pile like velvet) then you may need up to 5 times your skirt length. It depends on how you lay the panels on the fabric. :) And yes, 3 panel would work. I've made 3 panel mermaid skirt with 2 slits in front before :)
+ilyana rahman Stretch needles :) If you are sewing dancewear fabric (4-way stretch), definitely recommend stretch needles. If you are sewing regular knit or 2-way stretch, you can use jersey needles :)
Thanks for the video, if i would like to start this skirt underneath the breast line, like a high belt mermaid skirt, how can i do this to make it as a one piece of skirt ? it would be nice to have your advise, thx dear.
miri london Yes you could, you would want to add the additional measurements of: under bust and waist circumference and UB to waist and waist to hips lengths.
I totally got lost at 3:40 because I thought you made 5 panels and only shows two panels see together . I want to make this so bad for a 3 years old but I’m so lost at that point
Thank you, +Karina Dance! I love when dancers take what they see in my video and add their own twists. Good luck with the performance, and please share a photo on the Facebook page facebook.com/groups/SparklyBelly Everyone likes to see other people's creations especially mermaid skirts :)
+venus toran Hmmm I'm not sure if tulle would form into your body shape. I think tulle is better suited for skirts that can be loosely fitted like circle skirts :)
+Sc6h12o6 I used 3 meters of fabric, since I was able to fit 2 panels in the width at once. So in this case, I just needed 3 times my skirt length. But if you use fabric with nap (ie fabric that comes with pile like velvet) then you may need up to 5 times your skirt length. It depends on how you lay the panels on the fabric. :)
