It seems that a belly dancer can never have enough hip scarfs. You need to be able to match all of your costumes and accessories; in belly dance, the question is not simply "which color?", but also "gold or silver coins, or none at all?" Sometimes it is easier (and cheaper) to make your own hip scarf, whether for a one-time performance, general practice, or just for fun! Here's how to get started on your own creation.
Fabric
The first thing you will need is fabric to form the base of your hip scarf. Check out your local fabric store, especially the sale area; what may not sell well for projects such as clothing or decoration could look amazing as a costume piece. Also be sure to look through brocades and home decorator fabrics. While these fabrics are expensive, you will only need half a yard for your hip scarf; a fabric with a price tag of $15 per yard gives you a $7.50 hip scarf!!! Keep in mind that these fabrics often don't need further embellishment, so you don't need to spend extra money on trims, coins, and sequins. Try to find such a deal online!
As stated above, you should purchase a half yard of fabric. The fabric you choose should preferably be 45 inches wide if you are smaller, and 54 or 60 inches if you are larger or want more fabric to hang from the knot in the hip scarf. If you can't find the right size, either cut off some of the width, or purchase extra to piece together, covering the seams (if you want to) with an embellishment of some sort.
Cut the fabric to the size you want, then turn under the edges and stitch them, making a hem. You can do this with a sewing machine or by hand.
Embellishments
Look for decorations at the fabric store or online (eBay is always a good place to search). If you want a more "classic" cabaret look that will provide some movement, purchase trim which has attached dangles, sequins, or coins. The amount of yardage you purchase will depend on how many rows of the trim you want on your hip scarf. The more rows you add, the denser and richer your hip scarf will look. If you are making a tribal style piece, look for home decorator trims, which often have tassels. If you just want some sparkle, buy basic sequin or metallic trim. You can also purchase beads, medallions, appliques, coins, pendents, or anything else you want to add. Keep in mind that most of these items will have to be sewn on by hand, so save these projects for sometime other than the night before a performance.
Once you have your embellishments, spread out your fabric and lay out the trim. Move things around and experiment to find what looks best. You can also pin the trim to the base fabric in order to test out the hip scarf and get a feel for its finished weight and movement. When you have decided on a design, go ahead and stitch the embellishments in place, either by hand or with a sewing machine. Make sure you secure everything well, and periodically check your scarf for areas that need mending. If you have leftover scraps of trim, you can attach them to the very ends of the fabric which form the ties of your scarf.
When you're finished, go ahead and shimmy away!
