07 November 2013

Costume Workshop: Banjara Choli

I'm excited to present this Costume Workshop on Friday 8 Nov at the FatChanceBellyDance® Studio.
If you can't make it in person, I'll try to document it to share here on my Blog.



Let's get started!

Banjara Choli
We'll be looking at a mysterious little choli and recreating it in your size.
I have several for us to examine and one that we can take apart to understand the construction and ultimately make the patterns.

Here's what you will need to bring:

The equivalent of 1 1/2 yards of fabric: 80% should be a woven cotton for the body of the choli. We'll be cutting the body cloth into squares and rectangles so it's OK if you have multiple pieces, as long as they are approx. 8x10". 20% can be decorative bits for trim, these can be any sort of fabric. It's important that the body of the choli be a woven cotton because the unique fit of this garment is due in large part to the drape of the fabric over the shoulders. A stiff, tightly woven fabric or synthetic fabric won't yield the same results. A stretch cotton will lose it's shape. We'll be talking more about this during the class. Iron everything ahead of time if you can.

If you have one of these cholis please bring it for us to look at. Also bring any other banjara choli, belt or pieces that you might want to use for parts or trim.

A needle and several colors of cotton thread for hand sewing.

A notebook and pencil if you want to take notes or sketches.

Scissors, make sure they are sharp. Fabric scissors should only be used for cutting cloth.

Straight pins for pinning fabric. Best pins have glass heads so you can iron over them (plastic heads can melt.) Pins with flat heads are OK, but can get lost in the fabric and are hard to pick out.

Seam ripper and tape measure.

That's all for now, I'll let you know if I think of anything else. If you can only bring one thing, bring the fabric. I'll have plenty of supplies. I have pattern paper and paper scissors and an iron.


24 comments:

Unknown said...

I hope you can put something online for those of us that can't make it. I love this choli!

mwynn13 said...

Yes, I hope this is going to be a full tutorial. These cholis are like origami, and not exactly intuitive. There used to be a pattern available for them years ago, but the vendor has moved on. I'd love to try my hand at one.

mwynn13 said...

Yes, I hope this becomes a full tutorial. These cholis are like origami; not exactly intuitive. I'd love to try my hand at one.

Unknown said...

I am so excited you are covering this on your Blog, Thank-you so
much Carolina

Unknown said...

Thank-you Carolina, I am so looking forward to this as I have
2 Choli's that I need to make
bigger and was just flying by the
seat of my pants.

Dakotah said...

Yes, I would love to see an online tutorial of this. Thank you!

Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman said...

The workshop went very well! It was like an archeological dig. We examined the cholis and took one apart. The result was a pattern formula that I'll be posting soon as a short video. Stay tuned!

Unknown said...

great. Good choli patterns are so hard to find and I would never have attempted a Banajara choli, but now maybe I just might!

Krisztina said...

I am looking forward to your video. I have been wanting to make one of these for a very long time and may attempt it now.

Kathy Stahlman said...

Can't wait to see the video on this! I have a choli that I've been afraid to cut up, and am so excited to actually re-do it so it fits. Thank you Carolena!

Unknown said...

Fantastic! Can't wait for the video!

Unknown said...

Can't wait for the video!!! Yay!

YaHabibi Tribal Dance said...

Carolena Thank you very much! I long since it's been so long, and you just might succeed! Thanks!!!!

YaHabibi Tribal Dance said...

Carolena Thank you very much! I long since it's been so long, and you just might succeed! Thanks!!!!!

Saneens said...

for those performers who cant get how to make it or who dont have enough time to make one can buy or order something simillar to saneens
please follow
http://www.saneens.com/products/Tribal-Handmade-Belly-Dance-Bra.html

Saneens said...

for those performers who cant get how to make it or who dont have enough time to make one can buy or order something simillar to saneens
please follow
http://www.saneens.com/products/Tribal-Handmade-Belly-Dance-Bra.html

rhiannyn said...

:) did the video get posted elsewhere? Off to check the FCBD® YouTube channel :)

rhiannyn said...

:) Did the video get posted elsewhere? Off to check the FCBD® YouTube channel :)

rhiannyn said...

:) Did the video get posted elsewhere? Off to check the FCBD® YouTube Channel :)

Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman said...

Hi Rhi,
The video has not been posted. With so much on my plate, it's been relegated to the back burner. I'll get to it as soon as the dust settles.

rhiannyn said...

Okay lovely! No worries, when you get a minute :) I've finally got all the bits 'n bits to try making one :) And just thought I'd somehow missed the video is all.

Try not to get any of the dust in your eyes ;)

xo

Unknown said...

Is this video still in the works? I'm getting desparate! ;)

Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman said...

Wendi, I wasn't able to create a video from that class, sadly. But I do have a pattern. We are going to film a class where we discuss and share the pattern, so hang in there! Are you signed up for the FCBD® Newsletter on fcbd.com?

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for the response Carolena! Yes, I believe I am signed up for the newsletter, but I'm going to double check!
Having a pattern will be divine, this choli is such a pretty shape. -Thanks and blessings!