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Make a Shrug for Dance or Street Wear

Shrugs add warmth, modesty, texture and color to your costume.

Instant Shrug

Turn a pair of pants into a shrug.

No-Sew Tribal Shrug

Make a shrug / choli from a pair of tights

Quick-sew Shrug

Use a knitted stretch fabric and you may only have to sew two short seams!

Instant Shrug

A pair of harem pants with elastic at waist and ankles can be turned into an instant shrug.

Position the elasticized waist opening at your back and facing your body. Push an arm in through the waist, down one leg and out an ankle opening. If necessary to keep the back in position, use a safety pin or two to attach it to your dance top. In the illustration at the right, the black fuzzy lines mark the position of the pants elastic on the dancer body.

No-Sew Tribal Shrug

You can make a shrug from any pair of tights or pantyhose that have a crotch insert that can be cut out. These are favored by tribal dancers, and patterned black or white ones are frequently underneath tribal bras to provide a choli-look without a choli.

These shrugs may not last more than a few wearings. Cut carefully, put on and off gently, and store in a little sack to prevent catching and fraying.

• Crotch inserts used to be standard on tights and pantyhose, providing ventilation and ease. These days the cheaper versions may omit them, which means it will be more difficult for you to convert them into a shrug. The crotch insert seams provide reinforced seams that allow you to remove the 'neckline' without runs developing.
• If you absolutely must use a pair without a crotch insert, then try gently removing the stitching that holds the legs together at the crotch and see if this works.

Lay the tights or pantyhose on the table and carefully remove the crotch insert in the center, staying INSIDE the seam lines so that all the seam stays on the shrug piece. Cut off the legs at the ankle.
Carefully ease the garment on over your head through the waist opening. Head goes through the new opening you cut away and arms go down the legs. If shorter sleeves are desired, try easing the fabric up your arms. If still too long, cut.

Quick-Sew Shrug

You can make a shrug from almost any fabric, but a knitted stretch fabric that does not fray easily is the fastest because all you usually HAVE to do is sew two underarm seams: the edges will curl under and stay out of sight.

If you want to use a woven fabric, you will probably have to cut the shrug a little wider and add a narrow elasticized casing at the center opening and the cuffs to give it a bit of fit while you move.

Do a quick test drive by cutting a piece of scrap fabric (24 inches long and 45 inches wide). Sew the underarm seams (as below) and try it on to make sure you have the shape you want; now is the time to decide you need wider sleeves, shorter sleeves, a larger opening behind the torso, etc.

Cut your fabric. I find a piece of stretch fabric about 24 inches long (2 feet) and 40 - 45 inches wide (selvage to selvage) works well to start out with. Not skin-tight or hanging sleeves. Stitch the bottom seams (the dashed lines in the picture to the right) leaving enough opening to span the dancer back (16 - 18 inches, more or less. This is why you need a test drive!). Be sure to backstitch at both ends so the stitching doesn't unravel. If desired, finish the edge of the torso opening. If the fabric is woven and will fray, you need to finish this edge for sure. If the fabric is knit but you will use it a lot, finish it with a hem suitable for knitted fabric so it will retain shape. If you cut your fabric from selvage to selvage, and you like the look and the length, you do not need to finish the wrist openings. Otherwise, hem or bind.

Turn the shrug inside out. Position the torso opening at your back and facing your body. Push an arm in through the torso opening and down to a wrist opening. If necessary to keep the back in position, use a safety pin or two to attach it to your dance top. OR - dye a piece of narrow elastic with tea and pin it across the opening at the chest to hold it in place.

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©2009 by Maura Enright
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