How to Make a Belly Dance Armband

Make your own eye-catching armband.

Belly dancers put together costume pieces that accentuate their bodies and the movements their bodies make. Lightweight fabrics and sparkling adornments are frequently added to enhance a dancer's costume. Make an armband that will fit securely around your arm and draw attention to the fluidity of your arm movements. Add beauty with a little sparkling lame and sheer chiffon.

Things You'll Need

• Tape Measure
• Lamé fabric
• Chiffon fabric
• Bias tape
• Scissors
• Thread
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Measure the circumference around your upper arm where you will place the armband. Add 2 inches to that dimension.

2. Lay a piece of lamé fabric horizontally. Measure, mark and cut a rectangle to the length computed by 6 inches wide.

3. Cut a piece of bias tape to the length of the lamé fabric. Measure, mark and cut 6-inch long triangles of chiffon fabric. The base of each triangle should be 2 inches wide. Pin the base of each triangle to the bias tape. Baste the triangles in place.

4. Lay the bias tape on the upper edge of the horizontal lamé fabric. Sweep the chiffon triangles off the lamé fabric to the left side. Fold the bottom of the lamé fabric up to meet the upper edge and the bias tape. Stitch together the right sides of the lamé fabric with the bias tape in between leaving the left end open.

5. Turn the fabric tube inside-out. Hand-stitch the open end closed. Sew a 1 1/2-square-inch patch of hook-and-loop to each side of the closure of the armband.