Panel skirts are long rectangles of fabric that hang down the front and back center in a mock skirt.
They look great layered over salawar or flared leg pants & full skirts. Here’s a quick guide to how to make a tribal bellydance panel skirt using only a bandhini wrap and simple notions.
How To Make A Belly Dance Panel Skirt:
To create a panel skirt out of a bandhini wrap you will need to be able to cut and sew. This is a permanent alteration to the bandhini wrap.
- To start you will need one bandhini wrap, scissors, matching thread, needle for hand sewing or sewing machine, and twill tape or fabric for creating ties (you’ll need enough length to go around your hips plus extra for ties).
- Cut the bandhini wrap in half so that your 40″ x 80″ wrap becomes two 40″ x 40″ pieces. The cut edge will be at the top waist area and the beaded edge will be at the bottom.
- For most people 40″ long is too long and 40″ wide is too wide for a front or back panel. Remember there’s 2, one at back and one at the front, so, 80″ total circumference. Adjust the length and width to suit your needs. You don’t want it to be so long you step on the edges, so, typically about 8-12″ from floor is about right for the height. You want the width of the panel skirt to be narrow enough that you leave room for side ties and an open gap along the side at the hips. Finish raw edges, as needed.
- Sew edging/ties along the top edge. You can use something as simple as a wide cotton twill tape or create your own out of a fabric of your choice. Leave enough length to easily tie on both hips.
- Tie over each hip, leaving equal gapping on both sides.
The bandhini is so decorative on it’s own that you do not need to add much else to make it stage ready.
That’s it! You’ve just made your very own panel skirt!
We love the combo Vespertina came up in the photo above. They’ve layered Afghani textile belts over the panel skirt and allowed the salawar pants to peek out along the side edges.
Thank you to Molly McClellan of the Vespertina Dance Project for sharing the photo with us and Fernanda Litt for her fine photography skills!
