This year I re-opened my costume shop for business. My aim was to build-up a nest-egg to fund the purchase of materials and supplies for my next big book project. So I planned to make a costume each month during 2017. I was so successful lining up projects that I’m booked through the middle of next spring!
Over the past year, I’ve also tried to put up blog posts that documented the construction of these projects. However, now that I’m in the middle of my year-end review, I realize that I failed! I was so busy making costumes, that I didn’t always document the process efficiently.
A few times I have a lot of photographic documentation of the building process, but don’t an image of the final costume on the model! While I didn’t quite make this goal, I am pretty happy with the quantity and quality of the costumes I made. Here are a few of my favorite costuming projects for 2017.
Costumes from Studio Davina 
Shalimar’s Lavender Garden
Perhaps my favorite moment is when someone comes to me and says, “Make me something beautiful.” This year, I’ve had the privilege to make seven head-to-toe ensembles. The lavender garden costume I made for greater San Francisco/Bay Area belly dancer Shalimar earlier this year. In March, I documented the design and construction of this three-piece set in a series of blog posts in case you want some “Behind the Seams” info on the project.
Designing a Lavender Belly Dance Bedlah Series
Step 1 – Lavender Bedlah – Planning the Design
Step 2 – Lavender Bedlah – Bra Bands and Straps
Step 3 – Lavender Bedlah – Belt Base and Bra Covering
Step 4 – Lavender Bedlah – Finale
Shalimar’s Candy Pink
I was happy to work with Shalimar on a few other projects including a lovely candy-pink costume composed of a traditional rhinestone encrusted bedlah set, skirt and finished with a set of matching sleeves using my own custom pattern.
I am pretty happy with the way this ensemble turned out. However, I must admit there was some design drift. So though it became a lovely costume, the original skirt didn’t coordinate with the pink and “white” design of the bra and belt. So, we postponed the lovely floral skirt, and instead, I made this goblet style skirt. Consequently, I’m working on another bedlah set made from the same base pink material but which will be covered with a floral georgette fabric. In January, I look forward to snapping photos of Shalimar in this georgette floral costume. If you want to read more about how I made these sleeves, check out this blog post.
Costumes from Studio Davina – Anara’s Assiut Tribal Bra
I also worked on a few individual garments including the final garment for our the Kickstarter campaign for the launch of Becoming a Belly Dancer: From Student to Stage. So-cal based ATS dancer Anara backed us at the highest level, and I made her a shiny and crusty tribal-style assiut bra. While she was in town for a visit, she dropped into Studio Davina for a photo shoot with Alisha Westerfeld.
Costume Rehab Projects
This year I’ve worked with more than a dozen different clients to upgrade their wardrobes. They ranged in complexity simple refurbishments changing the linings hooks and eyes on a bedlah set to complete overhauls and two bra enlargements. Rehab projects require a different style of creativity. It’s a challenge to take an old costume and transform it into something beautiful and wearable.
Costume Rehab – Azura in Wine
Bra enlargements are the probably the most common major alteration I regularly undertake. This year, I performed three “bust augmentations” for naturally well-endowed ladies. Perhaps my favorite was this beautiful berry-toned two-piece bedlah owned by the glamorous Azura of the greater San Jose area. This designer-made costume was gorgeous, but she had never been able to wear it. With a little ingenuity and the sacrifice of a few costume accessories, Azura finally got to wear this beauty on stage!
Costume Rehab – Zemira in Blue
For belly dancer Zemira, I transformed a very long beaded lace skirt with a matched pair of sleeves into a bedlah set. The skirt was purchased from Adira Dance and Costume in Willow Glen, CA. It was crazy-long, and no one wanted it, even when marked down to practically free. I picked up the skirt for a song, cut it down and shaped the side seams to fit Zemira’s curvy frame. Then I used the scraps and covered a bra. I took a lot of photos of this project, but I never got a blog post written about it. Instead, I shared a lot of the in-process images in my Facebook group, Studio Davina: Behind the Seams. If you’re interested in hearing more about my sewing projects in real time you can follow posts of my on-going work.
A Race to the Finish!
As 2017 draws to a close, I am finishing up three last remaining projects. So I’m working a few hours every day on one costume rehab project, one new three-piece belly dance costume, and an assiut cocktail dress. It’s a race to the end of the year! Can I finish before 2018 arrives? I hope so, but if not, these dancers will certainly enjoy having new costumes to dance in in January!
Top Left: Zero Waste Georgette Skirt – Top Right – My essential hand-sewing tools
Bottom Left: Assiut Swing Dress – Bottom right: Costume Rehab: Berry/Black/Gold
Ready Made Costumes and Accessories
This year, I’ve been so busy working with clients, that I haven’t been stocking my Etsy store with sewn costumes and accessories. Early in the year, I had some assiut hair accessories up available in the shop, but they sold. As a one-woman workshop, I have a limited number of hours each day to sew. During 2017 I focussed on working one-on-one with local clients.
Visit my Etsy store for sewing patterns, books and more.
In 2018 I’m looking forward to getting ahead in my build schedule so I can make some assiut hair accessories and costume pieces for my Etsy store. In the meantime, you can find my sleeve patterns, printable downloads of the new coloring book over my store.
I’m looking forward to making many more costumes in the coming year!
But now I suddenly have a serious hankering to sew!
Happy Dance and Costuming!
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
Dec. 18, 2017