What to Use for Belt?

Dancebug

Dancebug

Well-Known Member
Hi,

I need to make a belt for my Latin costume(s). The belt will be decorated with rhinestones all over. Also I would like to make it removable so that I can use it on couple of different costumes. What would you recommend to use for a base, or how to make it? It will have to be light and somewhat rigid at the same time. I don't think a simple store-bought belt will work for a base. Any ideas?
 
I bought "belt material" at Joann's to make rhinestone cuff bracelets and hold up a high collared neckline. There's probably a more official word for it, but it's escaping me at the moment. It's flexible and light, but firm, and seems to be covered (one side only) in tightly woven cotton-like fabric, so it should accept glued rhinestones very well. I have a ton of the stuff, so if you'd like to try a piece, let me know.
 
I made a belt by ironing non-stretch interfacing to two pieces of fabric, then sewing the pieces together with the interfacing on the inside. The interfacing provided the right amount of stiffening.
 
and123 said:
I bought "belt material" at Joann's to make rhinestone cuff bracelets and hold up a high collared neckline. There's probably a more official word for it, but it's escaping me at the moment. It's flexible and light, but firm, and seems to be covered (one side only) in tightly woven cotton-like fabric, so it should accept glued rhinestones very well. I have a ton of the stuff, so if you'd like to try a piece, let me know.
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Dritz makes this stuff called "belting," which I think is what you are referring to. You would normally cover it with the fabric to match your dress. However, if you want to use it on more than one dress, and your plan is to cover it entirely with crystal or crystal AB stones, then I'd recommend purchasing a shiny silver fabric, such as a lame, and using that to cover the belt. That way the whole belt will look shiny, instead of being able to see areas of color or uncovered belting showing between the glue between stones. Also, this way you don't necessarily have to use as many stones.
 
excellent suggestion - thank you. The costume I happened to be working on was white so I could stone it directly, but for any other colors it would be a good idea to add a base layer first which would blend in with whatever rhinestone color is being used.
 
Laetitia said:
However, if you want to use it on more than one dress, and your plan is to cover it entirely with crystal or crystal AB stones, then I'd recommend purchasing a shiny silver fabric, such as a lame, and using that to cover the belt. That way the whole belt will look shiny, instead of being able to see areas of color or uncovered belting showing between the glue between stones. Also, this way you don't necessarily have to use as many stones.
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My favorite dress has a belt covered with silver lame and then CAB and it looks great. The only thing is that the person who made it said that it's not the easiest fabric to work with for a belt.
 
redhead said:
My favorite dress has a belt covered with silver lame and then CAB and it looks great. The only thing is that the person who made it said that it's not the easiest fabric to work with for a belt.
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Did she say why?
 
Dancebug said:
Did she say why?
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I can't remember if she explained - but the belt is attached at the hips (not stiched on, just attached in several places), and the rest of the dress is very stretchy, but lame doesn't stretch, so may be just making it all work together was an issue. Also the belt is not stiff (I didn't plan to detach it at all) and she had to make sure even with (heavy) stones on it it will keep the shape.
 
I've used silver lycra for thick bracelets over very thick elastic (about 2.5") - also for the reason I can use them with other dresses and it's less noticeable if stones fall off. It's got a slight sheen and really more grey than silver but great as a base.
 
Using belting or lame will be a problem if you need the belt to stretch, but generally things don't stretch all that well anymore if they are heavily covered with glue and stones. Silver lycra is a great suggestion as well, maybe that kind that has a kind of holographic pattern would work well too. The point really is, as fluffy said, to create a base that has some shine to it and helps create a unified, silver, shiny looking piece.

I haven't had difficulty with lame as a fabric itself, but if the expectation is stretch I can see where that would come up: cutting on the bias might help with that, but not if it's wrapped around belting, and I think you definitely want belting or elastic in there to hold the shape.
 
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