MAKING DECORATIVE PANELS

Dear Goddess: I am looking for information about the harem pants that have "vertical scarves" attached. I found one pair at a recent event, but they were $70.00. By the time I went back (to measure them) another dancer had bought them. Commonly the scarfs are made of a chiffon type fabric. I MUST have these pants. You know how it is when you've sewn all your life (just look at those seams, I could make that cheaper and better than this!) I have looked for a pattern but can't find one. If there is a pattern I'd love to buy it.

Answer:
Panels are easy to make. They're worn over harem pants to dress them up and add a flattering vertical accent. They can also be worn over a plain circle skirt or sheath skirt to vary the look of it.

They can be worn just in center front and back, or in multiples, spaced or overlapped, to create a skirt-like effect.

A panel is a good way to use a beautiful skirt or piece of fabric that's too small to go around your body. Make it into several panels to go over a plain skirt (right, on Elizabeth).

Panels can be attached to an elastic hipband to mix/match with several pants/skirts. The elastic is covered with a hipscarf orbelt. Or, the panels can be sewn directly onto the hipband of a pants or skirt (that way they cannot shift or twist around, and are less bulky).

My panels are either rectangular or triangular, which create different looks.

RECTANGULAR PANELS

Top of page left, brocade panel
Above, panels are of metallic ribbons.
Left, panels of liquid lamé
Right, metallic scarf panels

The fabric for rectangular panels can be soft and sheer, like metallic-threaded chiffon; soft and opaque, like liquid lamé; or firm and crisp, like brocade.

You can use a long narrow scarf made of a suitable fabric, like a metallic or a chiffon with metallic threads. This saves time on hemming, since the edges are finished already. A scarf can be folded in half to make a double layer, so it doesn't have to be cut.

If the fabric has no pattern or border, the panel can be decorated with a border or stripes of made of trim (illustration right), or glittered with sequins, paillettes, or mirrors. Add lightweight fringe, coins, or tassels on the end, if desired. Hem the panels so the fringes clear the floor. If the panels are long enough to touch the floor, it would be too easy to step on them.

The length of a panel is your hipline to floor, a yard more or less, depending upon height and shoes. The width is about 10-20 inches, depending upon personal preference. Experiment with cheap scraps until you get the look you want. I prefer the panels on the narrow side, because it's a slimming vertical line.

Narrow-hem the edges (if they're not already finished, as on a readymade scarf), then fold one or two pleats into the upper end, so it flares out a bit toward the lower end. If the fabric is soft rather than crisp, it can be gathered instead of pleated.

I also have heard of using one 3-4-yard length of fabric as both front and back panels, with the fabric hanging between the legs, either over the pants or underneath. Fabric underneath would work if the pants were roomy and had a loose crotch (like shalwar), or if the underlayer was a skirt, and if the fabric was light and soft. To do this, thread the fabric under the center front hipband, between the legs, up and over the back. Adjust to the proper length, and sew or pin through both layers, so the fabric can't shift.

TRIANGULAR PANELS
Triangular panels are flared and create a flowing skirt-like movement. For these, the fabric must be soft and drapey, like chiffon made of silk or synthetic. Stiff fabrics like tissue lamé or crisp metallics will not drape well. The fabric should look the same on both sides.

The exact dimensions of the triangles depend on your height and how long you want the points. Experiment with cheap fabric before cutting into the costume fabric. My triangle is about a yard in width.

Narrow-hem the edges, and sew the center one-third or so (between the dots) onto the hipband, allowing the pointed ends to drape down. A second smaller triangle can be layered over the first, so there are six points hanging on each panel and a fuller look. The photo left shows a double chiffon triangle panel over tapered pants both front and back, each panel decorated with sequins.

Complete instructions for all these are in Book #2, Easy Costume for Bellydancers. ~
Dina Lydia, Costume Goddess

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