Tutorial: Super Simple Belly Dance Skirt Fits Any Size

I've been making these skirts for years and just finished another one. Why do I like them? They are quick and easy to make. They use less fabric than most skirts. You can adjust them to fit no matter how much weight you gain or lose. You can use a more expensive fabric because you only need one fancy piece for the front. It's simple shape gives you a nice backdrop for your hipscarves, coins, belts, and tassels. And there are endless ways to make it fancier if you want to. And you can wear multiple skirts on top of each other or wear it over harem pants. It can be styled to work for cabaret, tribal, ATS, gothic and most styles of belly dancing.

Heavier fabrics like lace, brocade, tapestry, sequined, and beaded.

Medium fabrics like satin, silk charmeuse, rayon, cotton, linen

Light fabrics like gauze

These directions are for a skirt that sits on your hips. If you want it somewhere else, adjust accordingly.

Tie a string around your hips where you went your skirt to rest. Measure from your string to where you want the skirt to end. I don't like mine too long because I don't want to trip on them when I am dancing.

Measure your hips. Say your hips are 40". Divide that in half. So each panel will be 20" wide and as long as your preferred length. So say 36" long.

You will need to make a pattern with 2 rectangles 20" x 36". This works well for brocade, lace, and heavier fabrics.

If you are using thin gauzy fabric and want it to have soft gathers, double the width of each rectangle. That way it will gather along the drawstring nicely. Remember though that gathers make you look heavier in most cases.

Be sure to add extra length and width for hems and seams and the casing at the top. This blue lace skirt has no hems and only a casing seam. Lace doesn't ravel. If your fabric does ravel, you'll have to turn raw edges under and hem them by machine or hand. Unless you want that urban raw tattered look, in which case, don't finish the dangling edges.

Making ties: I wanted stretchy ties. And I remembered strips of velour or t-shirt material roll up under pressure, so I cut two of those to use for my drawstrings. That way I can snug up the skirt nice and tight because I sure don't want it sliding down in the middle of a show. Yes, you can use wide elastic, but you will also have to pin your skirt to other things to keep it from shifting on you. As they say in dance, "Shift happens."

1. Cut out your 2 rectangles. Also cut 2 drawstrings of stretchy fabric a bit bigger than half your hip measurement.

2. Hem the sides and bottom of each panel.

3. Flip over an inch at the top of each panel and sew the casing.

4. Using a safety pin fastened to your drawstring, run it through the casing.

5. Repeat with other panel.

6. Try on skirt and tie the drawstrings on both sides into a knot or a bow. Dance around and adjust if necessary.

The basic skirt is two rectangles with a casing at the top of each, and a drawstring that ties on both sides.

Variation 1: Sew side seams, and then sew casing for drawstrings. I recommend just sewing them down to the knees so you can still move well. Or sew one side seam from top to bottom and leave the other one open to give a glimpse of thigh.

Variation 2: Put ribbon ties every 6" along the sides of the panels. That will keep your skirt from flying out as far.

Variation 3: Add a ruffle to the bottom in matching or contrasting fabric.

Variation 4: Embroider your skirt with sisha mirrors, appliques, or trim.