Product Description

Bedlah, Baubles, and Beads is a book about designing and crafting the elaborate bra and belt sets worn by contemporary belly dancers. Also known as "dance oriental" and "raks sharki," belly dancing has numerous sub-styles that are defined not only by their movement vocabulary, but also by their distinctive costuming.

The first part of the book provides a conceptual framework by starting with a history of this costuming style and its origins here in the United States. From there, it concentrates on introducing the reader to design principles, methods, and techniques for developing figure-flattering styles.

The second part presents the materials, tools, and processes for putting together an elaborately decorated bra and belt set. Step-by-step illustrations for applying beads, a fabric shopping guide, and directions for constructing the bra and belt bases are all illustrated with descriptive diagrams to aid the reader.

Finally, the book finishes with a portfolio of styles and ideas for expanding the performance wardrobe. From skirts to accessories, these chapters introduce the essential garments that transform the bra and belt into a complete costume.

Detailed topics include:

* Step-by-step illustrations of beading techniques, including back stitch, couching, tambour beading, scatter beading, and more.
* Directions for making high-quality bedlah, from concept to finished costume.
* Techniques for developing beading patterns using clip art sources and transforming images into dynamic designs.
* Fitting and covering bras and belts.

An extensive bibliography and a list of mail-order resources is included.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #508328 in Books
• Published on: 2001-03-01
• Binding: Spiral-bound
• 140 pages

About the Author
Dawn Devine Brown is an internationally-known costume historian and belly dancer living in California's Bay Area. She has been dancing for over fifteen years and has been designing historical costumes nearly all her life. She has degrees in both Art History and Fashion Design. Her other books include "Costuming From the Hip" and "From Turban to Toe Ring."

Customer Reviews

Bellydancers do it yourself dream!
This book is wonderful! I am currently in the process of designing my own costume and this book was exactly what I needed to help me move from just thinking about making it myself to actually starting the process!

Bedlah, Baubles, and Beads guides you through concept, design and execution. Davina writes in a simple easy to follow manner making this book great for those with basic sewing knowledge and a great tool for the advanced too. I would recommend if you have basic sewing skills to also read through a book about sewing or costume making. I'm finding that brushing up on my skills is going to help me use this great book more effectively and help my costume design and construction go more smoothly.

Overall an excellent tool! I would recommend this book to all lovers of middle eastern dance... especially those who want a fab costume and the pride of making it themselves!

The best ever.
It covers everything from body shape to how to make a bra from scratch. Excellent reference book.

Bedlah, Baubles and Beads
I'm an experienced sewer and found this book very useful and informative. The instructions are clear and simple. The information highly valuable and practical. Fantastic resource!