Tutorial: Kabyle Wool Belt

 The process of learning a new folklore dance is not completed for me without making an authentic costume for myself. This usually includes a lot of costume research, fabric and jewellery purchases from the originating country via internet or in persona, and often the making of a whole costume with all of its regalia.
Fortunately I share this passions with my lovely dancing colleagues Lenajaan and Melanie and our newest treasure is a dance from the Kabyle (Berber) region of Bedjaia, Algeria.
I brought the costumes from our last visit at our in laws, but then I felt that somehow something was missing.
Flipping through pictures of other dance groups I frequently saw woolen belt with pompons and tassels and finally I also found a specimen I thought I could imitate (picture credit: here)

So here comes the process; not particularly difficult but quite time consuming.

I collected wool from my stash in the typical colours white, black, red, yellow and turquoise. Make a couple of tassels and pompons.
Measure the length of the belt generously. Calculate that you will like to have the tassels dangling in front of you and / or sidewise.
Cut 20 sections of yarn of the desired length of the belt.

Start decorating the belt with wool straps securing them with a knot at the desired place and winding it around the belt creating contrasting sections.

You can also braid  some sections using contrasting yarns. Then add tassels and pompons.






Here are the belts for the three of us:

 

And here we are "in action": :-D

(its me on the left)