First project: Black belly dancing bra

Today I'll try to show you how to cover a bra for belly dancing.

1. First, get a good quality, properly fitted bra. Remember to buy one in one cup size larger than you would normally wear to compensate for the "shrinkage" when you cover it with the fabric. To make it easier to fit it correctly, put it on a dress maker's mannequin.

2. Your fabric choice is limited to something with a little stretch in it. Start by pinning the fabric so that the stretching is horizontal. Fold the fabric over and pin to the front of the bra - do not fold it over the bra, fold first, then pin. Keep the fabric nice and smooth when you pin it, making sure there is no bumps or unwanted folds.

3. When you get to the rounding in the bra cup, tuck and fold a little dart into the fabric to ensure that the fabric fits perfectly onto the cup. Use a few pins to secure.

4. Cut off the excess fabric and start folding the fabric under itself and pin to the cup.Ensure that it fits perfectly to the cup without any obvious bumps.

5. Do the same on the other side and make sure that it is nice and symmetrical. Here comes the hard part: using a thin needle and short bits of thread, start sewing the two parts onto each other. Use neat, small stitches and keep it neat. The problem with most thread lately is that it makes "bobbles" in the thread that causes loops and knots. When you use shorter bits of thread, you are able to eliminate this.

6. When the hard work is done, it's time for the fun part! On this bra I have taken a necklace that I didn't wear apart and added it as "bling". You can use absolutely anything, from necklaces, earrings, store-bought trim and chains. Your local haberdashery store should be a treasure trove of odds and ends that you can use. Take some time exploring it, or dig through your jewellery box for those things you don't wear anymore. Chain stores are another source of "bling" - check out the sale rack for steals!

The finished product. I'll probably cover the top part with a little lace or sequined trim, just so that I can be sure my girls won't misbehave when I dance. The key is to go a little overboard with your "bling" - just when you think, "Oh, that's just enough!" add one more thing. This is not the time and place for Coco Chanel-isms. BUT THERE IS NO NEED TO GO "GYPSY" ON THE AUDIENCE!