Ansuya's multi-layered skirts

Darbla · 10-08-2007, 02:20 AM

I love the multi-layered looking skirts that Ansuya wears, rather than the straighter or less frilly ones that a lot of other dancers use. They might be gaudy and overkill to some, but I love their femine frilliness.

Do any of you have any sewing tips for creating something like that? Most of the costuming sites I've visited only have instructions for very simple circle skirts. Thanks!

An example would be the lavender one she wears here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_bBiKOi9ak

Darbla

Shanazel · 10-09-2007, 03:19 PM

I like the fuller skirts, too, Darbla. The circle skirt patterns you find are the starting point for a lot of styles that require a bias cut. I no longer dance in public (I do teach), but when I did, I liked to make my skirts from a full circle of fabric for the back and a half circle for the front. A more controlled skirt can be made from a half circle in back and a quarter in front, but no one ever accused me of being controlled in my use of skirt fullness. With something semi-transparent like chiffon, I used several layers for each section, sometimes layering color on color to get different effects. In this style, I sewed all the layers to a single band.

I also made a number of single layer skirts of different length so that I could layer them on top of each other, making the costume look tiered. (Of course, you can sew all the layers to one band, but I didn't have much money and I needed what I made dancing to pay rent, so had to learn to be pretty innovative with costuming.) When I layered several skirts, I had, of course, several bands, and I'd sometimes put darts or pleats in the fabric before sewing it to the band so I wouldn't get too lumpy at the hipline. Many of these layering skirts were made with different types of hemlines (even, uneven, pointed, rounded, etc.) for another effect.

A lot depends on the fabric you use. I saw a gorgeous costume that was purple georgette over a silver underskirt. Nothing but a circle skirt layered up. Georgette has a bit more weight than chiffon and flows differently on the body. I've also used bridal satin (very heavy to dance in) and stretch matte velvet, which I didn't care for at all. I had one silk skirt that felt like dancing in a cloud, but enough silk to make a skirt as full as I liked was prohibitively expensive. When you buy fabric, unroll a swath from the bolt, drape it on bias in front of you and wander around the fabric store to get some idea of how it moves. Straight of grain will look very different than bias, so be aware!

It may be worth your time to run up some doll-sized skirt versions with different hemlines to see how they look layered up (I'd hate to tell you how many belly dance skirts I made for my poor old 1960 model pony-tailed Barbie to try out new ideas for hemlines. She at least had the virtue of being patient and not laughing at my disasters). When I found something I liked, I tried it in cheap fabric unless I was really sure of how it was going to turn out. I like to sew and messing with the design was part of the pleasure.

Hmm. I don't know if I answered the question or not. Sorry. Hope it helps.

Shanazel

PS you might check out Dina Lydia's Costume Goddess site- she gives a wealth of costume making information on site and has written some very helpful books. Her costumes range from the breath taking to the hilarious!

Amulya · 10-12-2007, 12:16 PM

Here is an example of one of her skirts:

I guess she has harem pants underneath, because there is something attatched to her ankles.

Farasha Hanem · 10-20-2007, 01:38 PM

My teacher showed her copy of a pattern book for costumes based on some of the outfits that the BDSS wear. She said she bought it at Hancock's. I looked yesterday morning at our local Hancock's store, but they didn't have it.

Let me do a bit of looking around; if I can find out which local Hancock's store my teacher went to, and if I get a copy, I'll let you know if it includes Ansuya's beautiful skirt (I want one too!).

Amulya · 10-21-2007, 05:01 AM

That would be interesting! Let us know

adiemus · 10-21-2007, 05:37 AM

This looks like quite a 'tribal' look with the tassles, but the basic design is quite simple.
She has about three layers of circle skirt with petal shapes (triangles) cut into the hem, and each layer is a different length. Each hem is trimmed with sequins or seed beads in quite a wide trim. Underneath it looks like split harem pants with quite wide cuffs.
If you wanted to slim the waist down I would make it flared rather than a circle skirt, with about 8 gores and flared from about mid-thigh so you get lots of skirt width at the hemline. I'm not sure about the harem pants, but I guess you could put darts in at the waist to slim that area down.

I've got a Simplicity pattern 5359 for the harem pants (it's also got a cut-off top, a full peasant blouse top, and a big flared and gathered skirt with frill), but I'm happy chopping patterns up to get what I want!! I haven't made the harem pants, but will do, but to make slits just slash the side seam and add some seam allowance, then I would put some trim on the edge, or around the bottom part, as in Ansulya's pants.
I'm sorry I don't have a pattern for her skirt though.

Ligeia · 10-21-2007, 08:07 AM

I agree with adiemus about the construction. Here is a photo (from her website Ansuya - Belly Dancer, Actress, Model)
where you can see the construction of the skirt quite clearly

To my eyes this one looks like there is 1/2 circle at front and 1/2 at the back.

gilda1979 · 10-21-2007, 08:45 AM

Do you think I will get this kind of costume in Egypt?? Because I'm really interesting in it.... I have a performance in nov for a friends and it will be nice to wear one of these beautiful costumes...

thanks for all the tips

Ligeia · 10-21-2007, 11:00 AM

I have seen a similar skirt at Dahlal Dahlal Internationale : Costumes
Look at the second page, "Paillette panel skirts & veil set"

Farasha Hanem · 10-21-2007, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amulya

That would be interesting! Let us know

I will; my lessons are on Tuesday evenings, so I'll ask my teacher then.

10-08-2007, 02:20 AM	#1 (permalink)
Darbla Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: south Mississippi Posts: 64	Ansuya's multi-layered skirts I love the multi-layered looking skirts that Ansuya wears, rather than the straighter or less frilly ones that a lot of other dancers use. They might be gaudy and overkill to some, but I love their femine frilliness. Do any of you have any sewing tips for creating something like that? Most of the costuming sites I've visited only have instructions for very simple circle skirts. Thanks! An example would be the lavender one she wears here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_bBiKOi9ak Darbla

10-09-2007, 03:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Shanazel Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rocky Mountains USA Posts: 4,654	I like the fuller skirts, too, Darbla. The circle skirt patterns you find are the starting point for a lot of styles that require a bias cut. I no longer dance in public (I do teach), but when I did, I liked to make my skirts from a full circle of fabric for the back and a half circle for the front. A more controlled skirt can be made from a half circle in back and a quarter in front, but no one ever accused me of being controlled in my use of skirt fullness. With something semi-transparent like chiffon, I used several layers for each section, sometimes layering color on color to get different effects. In this style, I sewed all the layers to a single band. I also made a number of single layer skirts of different length so that I could layer them on top of each other, making the costume look tiered. (Of course, you can sew all the layers to one band, but I didn't have much money and I needed what I made dancing to pay rent, so had to learn to be pretty innovative with costuming.) When I layered several skirts, I had, of course, several bands, and I'd sometimes put darts or pleats in the fabric before sewing it to the band so I wouldn't get too lumpy at the hipline. Many of these layering skirts were made with different types of hemlines (even, uneven, pointed, rounded, etc.) for another effect. A lot depends on the fabric you use. I saw a gorgeous costume that was purple georgette over a silver underskirt. Nothing but a circle skirt layered up. Georgette has a bit more weight than chiffon and flows differently on the body. I've also used bridal satin (very heavy to dance in) and stretch matte velvet, which I didn't care for at all. I had one silk skirt that felt like dancing in a cloud, but enough silk to make a skirt as full as I liked was prohibitively expensive. When you buy fabric, unroll a swath from the bolt, drape it on bias in front of you and wander around the fabric store to get some idea of how it moves. Straight of grain will look very different than bias, so be aware! It may be worth your time to run up some doll-sized skirt versions with different hemlines to see how they look layered up (I'd hate to tell you how many belly dance skirts I made for my poor old 1960 model pony-tailed Barbie to try out new ideas for hemlines. She at least had the virtue of being patient and not laughing at my disasters). When I found something I liked, I tried it in cheap fabric unless I was really sure of how it was going to turn out. I like to sew and messing with the design was part of the pleasure. Hmm. I don't know if I answered the question or not. Sorry. Hope it helps. Shanazel PS you might check out Dina Lydia's Costume Goddess site- she gives a wealth of costume making information on site and has written some very helpful books. Her costumes range from the breath taking to the hilarious! Last edited by Shanazel; 10-09-2007 at 03:22 PM.

10-12-2007, 12:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
Amulya Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Byron Bay, Australia Posts: 922	Here is an example of one of her skirts: I guess she has harem pants underneath, because there is something attatched to her ankles. __________________ Blog: What Were They Thinking?

10-20-2007, 01:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
Farasha Hanem Moderator Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: In the heartland of the USA Posts: 615	I'll try to help My teacher showed her copy of a pattern book for costumes based on some of the outfits that the BDSS wear. She said she bought it at Hancock's. I looked yesterday morning at our local Hancock's store, but they didn't have it. Let me do a bit of looking around; if I can find out which local Hancock's store my teacher went to, and if I get a copy, I'll let you know if it includes Ansuya's beautiful skirt (I want one too!).

10-21-2007, 05:01 AM	#5 (permalink)
Amulya Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Byron Bay, Australia Posts: 922	That would be interesting! Let us know __________________ Blog: What Were They Thinking?

10-21-2007, 05:37 AM	#6 (permalink)
adiemus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Posts: 977	This looks like quite a 'tribal' look with the tassles, but the basic design is quite simple. She has about three layers of circle skirt with petal shapes (triangles) cut into the hem, and each layer is a different length. Each hem is trimmed with sequins or seed beads in quite a wide trim. Underneath it looks like split harem pants with quite wide cuffs. If you wanted to slim the waist down I would make it flared rather than a circle skirt, with about 8 gores and flared from about mid-thigh so you get lots of skirt width at the hemline. I'm not sure about the harem pants, but I guess you could put darts in at the waist to slim that area down. I've got a Simplicity pattern 5359 for the harem pants (it's also got a cut-off top, a full peasant blouse top, and a big flared and gathered skirt with frill), but I'm happy chopping patterns up to get what I want!! I haven't made the harem pants, but will do, but to make slits just slash the side seam and add some seam allowance, then I would put some trim on the edge, or around the bottom part, as in Ansulya's pants. I'm sorry I don't have a pattern for her skirt though. __________________ He wahine, he taonga- Every woman is a treasure(Maori proverb)

10-21-2007, 08:07 AM	#7 (permalink)
Ligeia Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Finland Posts: 29	I agree with adiemus about the construction. Here is a photo (from her website Ansuya - Belly Dancer, Actress, Model) where you can see the construction of the skirt quite clearly To my eyes this one looks like there is 1/2 circle at front and 1/2 at the back.

10-21-2007, 08:45 AM	#8 (permalink)
gilda1979 Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Lund, Sweden Posts: 50	Do you think I will get this kind of costume in Egypt?? Because I'm really interesting in it.... I have a performance in nov for a friends and it will be nice to wear one of these beautiful costumes... thanks for all the tips

10-21-2007, 11:00 AM	#9 (permalink)
Ligeia Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Finland Posts: 29	I have seen a similar skirt at Dahlal Dahlal Internationale : Costumes Look at the second page, "Paillette panel skirts & veil set"