Join me, author Dawn Devine ~ Davina, for a deep dive into the basic building blocks of costume design. In this talk, we will take a journey through time as we discuss what makes costumes tick. Learn to crack the code and understand the elements and principles of costume design. Learn the formula and use it to guide your design choices for an unforgettable costume.
Understand your existing wardrobe before you shop or buy new costumes.
Learn how your costuming helps you craft your unique performance identity.
Shoppers: Identify good design at a glance to help you pick the best ensemble.
Dancers: Understand the design elements that visually help you appear larger than life on stage.
Designers: Learn to apply the “Design Code” to make flattering, unique, and professional looks.
Will I see you there? Dawn Devine ~ Davina March 12, 2022
WHEW, I think I can safely say I’m back! I’m once again on my feet after a fairly intense battle with the plague. Covid sidelined me for about six weeks and greatly reduced my productivity. So It’s time to get back to doing what I love, teaching classes and sharing the costuming knowledge! So let me catch you up with what’s happening over on the Studio Davina Patreon March 2022.
Sewing Classes on the Studio Davina Patreon
Patreon is the current home of my sewing classes. My goal has been to produce an ever-growing body of workshops and demos. These design and construction techniques are taught in a real-time live over zoom. With a little bit of knowledge and luck, we’ll get replays up and archived for Patreon subscribers.
My approach is to hone in on one topic or theme. Then discuss the design methods and construction techniques together as a unified whole. I really enjoy teaching sewing costume design. My hope is this series will grow into a valuable resource library for costumers looking to fill their creative bucket with new approaches, concepts, and skills.
March Special Event – Reshoot • Reboot
Over the past quarter, I’ve managed to hold my classes, but somehow, the recordings didn’t happen due to tech failure, painful sound, and simply just being too sick to be “Share-worthy.” Now that I’ve recovered most of my voice and have the energy to teach, I’m on a mission to do a full reshoot of the three missing workshops. Along with a bonus live talk where I will share what’s coming in workshop content for the rest of 2022.
50 Minute Monthly Sewing Classes
One of the discoveries I made when reviewing the sad and sick (and now abandoned) video footage is that I was trying to go too fast. After many years of teaching, I realized that I’m used to preparing my presentations for 50 or 90-minute intervals. Why was I trying to squeeze in my class material into 30 minutes? Who knows! But moving forward my monthly sewing class will be 50 minutes of talk and demo, followed by Q&A.
Washing Modern Assiut
Supplies • Materials • Techniques
Thursday, March 24, 7:00 pm Pacific – $7 Patreon Tier
Mad About Maud: Salomania & the Birth of Bedlah
3 Episodes • Pre-Recorded • Belly Dance Costume History
Full Series Available through March 31, 2022 – $15 Patreon Tier
Thank you for your continued support!
Once again, I want to thank the folks who joined me at the beginning of my Patreon journey and have shared the rocky ride over the past few months! If you find these sewing classes intriguing, follow me at Patreon on the $7 or above tier. If you want, even more, join the $15 tier and have access to all the sewing classes and coffee dates, as well as the lecture series. There are always three lectures available on any given month. Now through March 31, 2022, $15 subscribers can access to the full three-part series “Mad About Maud: Salomania and the Birth of Bedlah.” We will announce April’s lecture topic soon, so stay posted!
Now, Time to get caught up on Patreon! Dawn Devine ~ Davina www.davina.us
March 7, 2022
Over the weekend I hit 500 subscribers on YouTube! Yeah! This is the first major hurdle of 2022, and an important milestone on the road towards reaching 1k subscribers in 2022!
500 was a fun moment for me. It gave me a serious injection of energy and inspiration. YouTube sent me a little .gif celebrating the moment. I took a screengrab below to share with you. This .gif marks the halfway point towards reaching the first major target of 1K subscribers.
Why is 1K so special?
In the world of YouTube, having 1000 subscribers is the minimum to open doors behind the scenes. When a creator reaches this milestone, they gain access to tools, support, rank higher in the search engine, and their videos get shared with a wider audience. Simply put, once you reach this level, your “findability” increases and YouTube shares your work with more people.
We Reached 500 Subscribers!
During the coming months, I’ll be spending more time making video content for social media that documents the work I’m doing on the upcoming book, “Assiut Belly Dance Costume in Detail,” or “ABCD” for short. It is my hope, that I can share the process of moving through the various stages of book production. I want to share with you the phases of production and the process of moving from concept to
Will you help me get 500 more?
If you would like to help me achieve this gold, there are five things that you can do to help me.
Visit my YouTube Channel. Perhaps the most simple action is to visit my channel and watch a few videos. Watch time matters to the YouTube algorithm so if you spend a few moments on my channel, you will help give me a tiny boost. Short Video: “Belly Dance Bra Costume Design” is short and fun.
Like a Video or Two. If you enjoy my videos, tell the world! Just take a moment to click on the line button and give my video a big fat thumbs-up. Popular Videos: Check out “Bujo Notebook Custom Pen Quiver DIY” is one of my most popular videos.
Comment on a Video. Like watch-time and likes, viewer comments add credibility. It’s a bit like voting. If a “Like” is worth a vote, then a comment, even just a smiley face, multiples the like. One of my most liked videos is “Tying a Turban” a little costuming demo in the middle of a makeup challenge vlog. If you watch that demo and find it useful, tell me why in the comments.
Subscribe to my channel. However, the most direct and impactful way to help me reach my goal is to simply click through any of these links and subscribe to my channel. YouTube subscriptions are totally free to you and help me so very much. If you want to receive notifications about videos, then click on the bell icon. Here’s a little vintage history clip of Nejla Ates c. 1956.
Share videos with your friends in dance. Perhaps the most valuable action a subscriber can take is to share a video with your friends. If you find a video with valuable information, that inspires, or entertains, could you take a moment to share it on social media? That will really help me spread the word and reach new dancers and costumers around the world. The main goal of my YouTube channel since it’s beginning has always been to share the work of my friends in dance, like this video of the super-glamorous Basinah from November 2021.
Thank you for the Continued Support!
I appreciate your time checking out these are the key things that you can do – and are all absolutely free! I appreciate your support of my ongoing research, design, and publishing work. It is my hope that in the coming months there will be plenty of new quality content on my YouTube to inspire, entertain, and educate. If you haven’t yet had a chance to check out the new Behind the Scenes Vlog Series, you can find the playlist here.
Thank you for your help in reaching my goal! ~ Dawn Devine ~ Davina March 2, 2022
Well, here we are, two years later, and I’m still making assiut masks! Over the past two years, I’ve made thousands of masks. I’ve made them for my family, for my friends in dance, and for sale. Lots of folks are contacting me who purchased a mask in the Summer of 2020, asking for new masks, replacements for worn-out masks, or for colors related to their costumes.
2022 – Watch for Monthly Etsy Drops
In 2022 I’m focussing on the “big build” making 30 looks for the new book. With my tight schedule, I’m unable to take commissions. However, when I do have a spare moment in the flow of my work, I will squeeze in making assiut masks where I can. These masks will be available exclusively through my Etsy store as a monthly “drop.” As I finish a batch, they will wind up on Etsy, and the listings will vary. If you want to get a mask, be sure to visit my Etsy store and give it a heart or like. Then, when new things get added to my store, you will get notified.
Assiut Masks: Back to Scraps
As my “30 Looks” sewing project progresses, I will start using assiut scraps to make masks. I’m using up the fabric intentionally bought to make masks in 2021. Because these are all hand-crafted, no two will ever be quite the same. But when it comes to using scraps, they will undoubtedly become more whimsical as the year progresses.
Need one Soon? Tips for making your own!
Need to get an assiut mask in the right color for you? Why not make your own, or have your favorite seamstress make one for you. Here are my top tips for taking the DIY approach:
Buy Assiut from a Dealer in the US – Check out Etsy and Ebay and look for dealers who are shipping within the US and can ship to you quickly. Try Etsy and eBay when sourcing materials using a keyword search, and look at the shipping details.
Make a Sample out of Plain Cotton – I published a .pdf with a pattern that I have since modified and customized many times. You can use this pattern as a jumping-off point to make your own. Make any necessary adjustments to for your face shape and comfort. I highly recommend making a sample before cutting into expensive assiut.
Sourcing Specialty Supplies – Over the past year, I’ve upgraded my elastic and invested in silicon sliders. I buy these supplies via Amazon. Here’s a basic list to get your started looking for the things you need.
Use Quilting Cotton – I’ve found this is best for strength and stability. It holds up the best to repeated washing and wearing.
HELP – My Assiut Mask is Limp!
Over time, 100% cotton will get softer and more supple. That’s a kind way of saying limp! What I do to revive my assiut masks is to treat it with a steam press and some starch to stiffen it back up again! I know, pressing and starching seem very old school, but it’s worth it to get more life from your assiut mask. I have a can of Niagra starch that I’m slowly going through. This one can might last a lifetime! Right: The Retro-Fabulous Nicole Simone aka “Modern Day Mae” wearing an assiut mask from Studio Davina.
I hope that this info helps you get ready for the 2022 performance season. Stay Safe – Stay Healthy – and HAVE FUN! Dawn Devine ~ Davina February 24, 2022.
PS —->> I’m trying to reach a goal of 1000 YouTube subscribers. If you enjoy YouTube, would like to see more of this vlog series, please click through the image below. Like and Subscribing will help get to over that first hurdle, and unlock the tools and support that come with achieving that magic 1K number. Thank you for your continued support of my research, costuming, and writing!
Thursday, February 24th, 5:00 pm Pacific
$7 Tier – Studio Davina Patreon Click here to sign up!
This month I’ll be presenting a demo of how to quickly create embellished ribbons to decorate your costume and accessory projects. Ribbons are a great design method for quickly adding sparkle and shine to your performance dancewear. In this 40-50 minute talk, I will share with you my key strategies for embellishing ribbon and using it in your costuming. This method helps designers stay focussed, work quickly, and future-proof their costumes. This workshop is good for costumers at all skill levels from beginner through professional.
Why Embellish Ribbon?
When you embellish ribbon first, then apply it to your costume, you’re actually saving yourself self a lot of time, reducing the stress on your hands, and future-proofing your costume. Some of my top reasons for using ribbon as the basis for belly dance costume surface design includes:
Ribbons are easier to hold and manipulate while embellishing than full garments.
Design motifs provide structure and serve as a guide for embellishment placement.
Embellished ribbons are quick to apply to any garment.
Easily change costumes, make size and fitting adjustments. Ribbons are easily removed or replaced.
Ribbons easily cover supporting structures like straps and bands.
Linear motifs are useful for making accessories and creating complete, cohesive looks.
Embellished Ribbon: Workshop Organization
I will begin this presentation with an introduction followed by about 15 min talking about the usefulness of this design approach. I will dive into the essential hand-sewing tools, design formulas, and a variety of embellishments. Then we will move on, covering key design formulas for layout and design, strategies for using various ribbons and supplies, and sewing tricks to speed up your work. Then we will wrap up the session with examples, hand-sewing tips, and time for Q&As. Sign up here.
With luck and good fortune, I will be able to share a recording with attendees for future reference. Thank you for supporting my work. Perhaps I’ll see you there! Dawn Devine ~ Davina February 20, 2022.
