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The List -10 things to do with a remnant of fabric.Have you ever found yourself digging through the remnant bins at your local fabric store? There, in the bottom are luscious scraps, fragments of cloth to tempt you. Remnants can be a money saving option. These pieces can be as much as 75% less than retail, reduced because these pieces are deemed too small to work with and are off the bolt. But remnants come in a range of lengths generally less than two yards. There are many ways a creative costumer can use even one yard of fabric to create costume pieces to integrate into her dance wardrobe. 1 - Make a fitted "Turkish" vest or a semi-fitted bolero jacket. Check out BD Patterns #1001 or Atira's Patterns Bahars Boleros, Alviyah's Turkish-Macedonian Vest or Marhvash's Turkish-Arab vest. (Make sure to test your patterns by making a sample from inexpensive cloth.) 2 - Build one or two hip wraps from the fabric. Ties can be made from the same fabric, or if your remnant is small, the ties can be made from a contrasting or coordinating material. 3 - Make a peasant style Gypsy blouse. Commercial fabric companies such as McCalls and Simplicity carry styles in their Halloween section that can be adapted to this purpose. Try Simplicity 8851, shorten the top and add a casing for a hem. Also check specialty pattern companies for their offerings. 4 - Transform your fabric into a flirty fun skirt topper. You can cut the material into a series of triangles. Hem the edges and attach to a waistband made from gros-grain ribbon, quilt binding or belting cut to fit your hips. You can position the triangular tabs evenly around the hips, or you can cluster the tabs at the center front and back. Narrow rectangular tabs are an alternative option. 5 - Make an elegant shrug to wear with a sleeveless beladi dress or instead of gloves or arm decorations with a bedlah set. Try Vogue pattern 7021, Simplicity 9249 or Butterick 5843 each of these patterns has a slightly different look, style and remember that you can change the shapes of the sleeves to suit your taste style. 6 - Make a set of "Accessory" Pieces. A pair of arm puffs, a collar and a headband can all be created from a single yard of wonderful fabric. Alternately, you can make a pair of gauntlets and a matching crown or try a matched set of biceps and wristbands with a choker. 7 - Create a turban. By cutting your remnant into long narrow strips and stitching the ends together, you can transform a small rectangle into a long strip. Even if your strip is rather short, it can be entwined and wrapped into a longer turban cloth as an accent fabric. 8 - Stitch some storage bags. Every dancer needs a bag to carry important items. If you have a large remnant, you can make a tote bag. If the fabric isn't sturdy enough, you can always line it with inexpensive cotton twill. Smaller scraps can become zill bags, a water bottle holder or even a small elegant bag to replace a purse at dance events. If you like to use patterns, try Vogue 7463 and 7036, Simplicity 9528, 9069 and 8331, Butterick 6043 and 6687 or McCalls 3271 and 3136. 9 - Make a Skirt Panel. Feature your fabulous length of fabric by turning it into a panel to wear over a skirt. Decide on the shape you like and use an inexpensive fabric to create a sample. Test the shape and length, and then use this sample as the pattern to cut your high fashion fabric. Hem or line your panel. It can be attached to a waistband or you could simply pin or baste it to your skirt. Accent with fringe, braid, ribbons or trim to embellish and turn into a standout costume piece. 10 - Fold it neatly and store. Every costumer I have ever met has kept a "Fabric Stash." If you don't have one yet, now is the time to start! Remnants are an inexpensive way to build a collection of fabric. You never know when two more remnants will harmonize or coordinate to create a complete costume. Make sure you keep your most opulent and expensive fabrics on top to pull out and show friends, to look at and to keep you inspired, and to prevent beads or sequins from being crushed. |
