Bellydance garb (of the goth/steampunk variety)

[texanromaniac]

So our little clan is going to TRF this fall and the vote was that we go in bellydance/harem type garb. I found a picture online that is somewhat how I'd like to garb myself...and that includes yarn hair falls.

I've found someone on Etsy who said she could do custom ones for me for about $30...however, I think I'd like to try my hand at making my own...cause if I am successful then I can make different colored ones for various sets of garb without being out as much money.

Anyone make hair falls before who could give me some tips on it like: What works better, hair elastics or stretchy lace? Just how much yarn is needed and how much should it run me to make two full falls? Any tips on how many different colors and or ways of messing with the yarn ie. braiding, crocheting, twisting, fraying, etc. to get varied looks?

[LadyElizabeth]

Our very own Kat on the forums here makes them.  She is in need of some $ with the new baby and all, so it would definitely be cool if you guys wanted to order them from her....  Personally I've never made them, so can't help there.  She might be able to help ya there too??

[Genievea Brookstone]

Also if you google *How to make Yarn hair falls*  you will come up with a lot of results.

[Adriana Rose]

I have some that I made they are blue and white and purple and balck with matching daisies. I would like to sell them

[Blue66669]

I make my own, and they're stupid easy to make. Please remember that yarn falls are also about texture, so use different materials, such as ribbons, lace trims, odd yarns, different hues and shades of the color you want, etc.

[texanromaniac]

I am looking to create a look somewhat like this...except probably not the green lipstick or quite as much makeup (esp. seeing as how hot TRF can be in October and how sweaty one can get)!! I will probably also do wristlets instead of sleeves and my bra will need to be more substantial.

[flidais]

First...that is a fantastic look.  So much fun.
When I made my "yarn hair" I used a hair tie (elastic band).  I used several different types of yarn in different textures in the colors I wanted.  There are some yarns out there that are pretty thick, but you might need to twist together a few strands to get that really thick dread lock look that she has.  I am not exactly sure how you'd do that.  Maybe with some of that wax they use to dread hair.  Then I cut pieces of the yarn twice as long as I wanted the "hair" hair to be when I was done.  I folded it in half.  Then pulled the ends up around the hair tie and threw the loop.  Then pulled tight.  Then I just make a little bun or poney tail with the yarn hair, hair tie.  To get a nice full look, it does take a while, because you'll want to put alot of them on there.  Hope that helps a little.

[CapnFayeCutler]

Homespun yarn - a few strands twisted together would be good. I love the homespun because you can take out the thread and have it become really wooly/dred looking

[Lady Catherine]

i make them all the time when belly dancing. I do what flidias said, just cut ittwice as long, fold in half and use the rubber band in a "half" knot, it that is what its called. i also braid strands into chunky braids.  also, you can add cowrie shells into the strands for more tribal look.


just have fun!

[Valencia]

I LOVE that picture!! Are you making the rest of your garb? I would love to do garb like that, I have no idea where to start.


Ooooh, I found this tutorial on hair falls, this is kind of cool: http://www.tribalbellydance.org/resources/cowriefalls.html

[texanromaniac]

Yes, I'm gonna be making most of my garb. Belly-dancing garb wasn't my idea...the other ladies in our little clan wanted to do it. Since it's not so much my thing I wanted to kinda make it my own by going a little more goth/steampunk with it. I just ran across this pic somewhere online and since the colors she's wearing are ones I love, I thought I'd go that route...only adding silver and some steampunk elements.

Totally anachronistic, I know...but then again ANYTHING bellydance isn't exactly period. So if we aren't going for a period look, why not have fun with it?!!

[Adriana Rose]

Try looking for Tribal Bellydance stuff that is the style of the picture. There are zillions of cool pictures out there for makeup and hairstyles

[Valencia]

OOooh, I so hope you post pictures of your progress, I can't wait to see! I might try to get some belly dancing garb going for this fall, I've always wanted to try that out.

[texanromaniac]

Well, I went to Michael's today and got yarn, ribbon, etc. for the hair falls and as I already had some new hair elastics at home I was able to get started making the falls today. One is finished and everything is cut out for the other...just have to put it together. Will take a couple pics of them and post once they are done.

Also went by Kohl's and got a black bra to be used as the foundation of my belly dance bra...only of course it will look quite different when finished!! Since I'm going with some goth and steampunk influences for my garb I'm gonna sew lock washers (metal washers with teeth) on the bra instead of coins. I'm also gonna replace the bra straps with metal o-rings and thick black ribbon to criss-cross and tie in the back. Last night I took an old bra that needed to be trashed and used it for a sort of prototype to figure out what I was gonna do...so as not to just start hacking away at a brand new bra!!

I also picked up some black sueded leather and some silver grommets to get started on the belt. I'm gonna use more of the black and green yarn from the hair falls to make the streamers for the belt...but I also wanna incorporate maybe another green ribbon for it as well...just have to find a sort of earthy green in the right width. The belt and the bra are the things I'm most nervous about making...cause skirts, harem pants, tops, capes, scarves, etc. are all just cutting out and stitching up and aren't as big a deal...since I'll be working off of patterns of sorts (with some modifications) for those...whereas the bra and belt are pretty much just me looking at pictures online, reading a couple how-to blog posts, and then going for it!!

[texanromaniac]

Hair falls are done!! I am not sure how I like them on elastics though...they might be easier if they were on a ribbon or cording or something and tied in. On the elastics the yarn keeps wanting to get caught up in the elastic as I wind it around.


A closeup of the colors and such...


I first tried out how to do it with just the yarn (first pic) then redid it with the ribbon and cording added in (second pic). I think for fullness though I might make another plain set to wear layered under the sparkly one. The third pic is both sets layered together on one side to get an idea of the fullness.