Make Vests for Belly Dancers

Vests running under the breast

Lots of commercial patterns.
Recommend using drill as underlining. No lining necessary.
Adjust pattern sides by lining front and back up at armpit and swiveling the pieces so the hems are in a straight line, on the grain.
Stay stitch underlining pattern pieces.
Sew underlining pieces together at side seams ONLY. Shoulders are last.
Press fold at center back.
Working from the center, crazy quilt fashion fabric to underlining.
Trim and staystitch all edges again.
Turn strap ends in towards each other 1/2". Baste in place.
Recommend binding with 1.5" width fabric.
Bind bottom of vest. You can use fabric cut on the straight grain for this part.
Bind all other edges with BIAS.
Trim edges at shoulders and staystitch the edges.

Fitting

This vest can be fitted to a dancer by

putting triangular darts or straight tucks in the vest body - these will also act as self-boning.
Adjusting the shoulder seam. Topstitch to the back .