Project level: intermediate to advance
Project List:
coins of your choice
0-rings or 8mm split rings
glass beads
drill
1/16 drill bit
pendant

I love playing with pennies. They make such nice jewelry. I made a belly dance bra using Irish coins (previous blog) and I had been planning on making more items with pennies. This necklace does take a little while to make. First you must decide how long you want it. Then spread out your coins the way you want it. Then decide where's the best place to put your holes. You can see on the pictures-I decided to do 3 holes on the outside coins , 4 on the inside coins and 3rd row from the top-5 holes.
I drilled 91 coins total. Depending on your coin and how you place your coins it can more or less coins used. I used a drill press in my hubby's garage to do this. Wear goggles doing this in case of any metal pieces fly off the drill bit. Be careful and make sure burs are filed down. I've sliced skin open because of burs.
Using pliers , place the 0-rings or split rings into the holes and connect the coins. I added glass beads to certain parts of the necklace.You can place them anywhere you like.I also added a pendant to the red coin penny necklace. I used two toggles for the back closure.
picture of me wearing mine
people.tribe.net/erikaschi...8eb4a91817

Penny necklace
www.missmalaprop.com/2007/05...cklaces/

Coin rings and more
etsymetal.blogspot.com/2007/0...ns.html

Vendors
there is a lot of vendors of real coin necklace so you can google this
but here's 2

me of course
at www.erikaschiquis.etsy.com

and cost less costumes -look at the costume pages and its mixed in there with all other parts of costumes
www.costlesscostumes.com/ZBDC.html

www.etsy.com/view_listing.php

www.etsy.com/view_listing.php

www.etsy.com/view_listing.php

Project Level:Easy
Project List:
Fabric
Elastic
thread
Simplicity pattern 4484
www.simplicity.com/assets/4484/4484.jpg

Not only a Pirate top but Roma top, Spanish-Hispanic top or many other folkloric dance tops. I made this for the student show for our Kailama piece. I made this the same way I did this piece
people.tribe.net/erikaschi...cff2134b1f
except for the sleeves. I wore my coin bra over it. I also added a decorative stitch all around the neck and bottom hem. Its a fast and easy piece.
For more sites for pirate, goth or other items please refer to links in Pirate Top 1
people.tribe.net/erikaschi...cff2134b1f

Project Level-Advance for this bra
other coin bras -beginner to advance
depending how you make it

Project List:
Irish Coins
Split Rings-8mm and 6mm
Copper Chain
Copper Washer
Brocade Copper Fabric
Nice underwire Bra
Gross grain ribbon
Big sturdy hooks
Fray check

I finally finished this coin bra. I bought the coins from Velvet Peacock Designs back in 06'. www.velvetpeacockdesigns.com/
I worked on and off this for over 2 months. I bought a nice clearance bra and covered it with brocade fabric.I used fray check on the inside so my seams on the brocade wouldn't fray. I took off half of the top straps and cut off only the hooks of the back. I didn't cut my bra sides cause I didn't need to for me. If you perform a lot , you should because the elastic side straps will eventually give out. I added gross grain ribbon to the back and the top straps and cover it with my fabric. I did many fittings including getting a few needle pokes in my back.

Here are some links on how to cover your bra:
Anthea Costumes
www.kawakib.com/page-16.html

Nadya's
www.nadyas-naehtipps.de/englis...-bh.htm

Misha
www.flickr.com/photos/mis...4040747130/

Shira
www.shira.net/cg/coverbra.htm

There's many other items to add like 0-rings, etc. but I will leave that for later. I drilled all these coins on a drill press.My poor fingers hurt after awhile from the burs. but it was much easier than drilling them by hand. I drilled four holes in each coin so I could connect them.
Previous blog on drilling coins
people.tribe.net/erikaschi...db989fc830
I used split copper rings to do this. I bought mine at W mart.
There's better split rings but I was on a budget and they work pretty good.
After I had them all draped like a necklace, I sewed them onto the bra cups and middle.I used quilter's thread to sew on the coins. I added necklaces on the very top and the bottom middle. This was all very time consuming so I did it at night while watching T.V. I also added chain drape on the bottom with Irish pennies on it. I drilled a copper washer and that was my middle piece where the drape hangs from. I also connected the small split rings and made chains of them and connected them to parts of the coins on the top. Gave a cool metal look. This is a project that I waited on making cause I knew not only is a bit hard but time consuming.
A picture of me wearing it
people.tribe.net/erikaschi...ed2eabe5c2

I am going to put many links on the bottom for better explanations on how to make coin bras.

How to make a bra
www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00111.asp

fitting a bra
www.sevenveils.co.uk/learnin...mes/#bra

Stiffening cups
tribalcostuming.tribe.net/threa...7e3f90

lining the cups
tribalcostuming.tribe.net/threa...9642e0

halter bra construction by Christina
tribes.tribe.net/diycostum...6bd7ef1fbc

Making a Bra Base by Deserae
www.flowersofaraby.com/making...ume.htm

Bra Constructions
tribes.tribe.net/diycostum...6bd7ef1fbc

Coin Bra tutorials:
Annabella
www.annabella.net/tribal/coinbra.html
www.annabella.net/tribal/coinbra2.html

Black Swan Tribe
www.blackswantribe.com.au/coinbra.html

Bra Bases-just buy an already base and just decorate-great for beginner sewers
Atira's
www.atirasfashions.com/bra.html

Sugar Petals
www.sugarpetals.com/bra_belt.asp

Flying Skirts
www.flyingskirts.com/catalog...or.shtml

The Bra stop-customized bras
thebuststop.stores.yahoo.net/

Bra Construction tips for the Busty Gal
tribes.tribe.net/diycostum...e137a41d77

Big Boobiful Beledi Dancers
tribes.tribe.net/bigboobifulbeledi

Triangle Bras(I do have an diy blog on this)including tips for Busty Gals
tribes.tribe.net/diycostum...33428961e8

Constuction of a Bra and including Busty Gals
euphraxia.com/images/tutorial.jpg

Replacing straps and putting in o-rings for a criss cross back
tribes.tribe.net/diycostum...82b00cb8c4
tribes.tribe.net/diycostum...5c1de45f78

How to put a o-ring in the center of your bra by Deserae
people.tribe.net/cbb7e562-...3ec5b92adc

How to put on coins
tribalcostuming.tribe.net/threa...579ba4
tribalcostuming.tribe.net/threa...b86694

spacing coins on a bra
tribalcostuming.tribe.net/threa...0d753c

how to distribute the weight of coins on a bra
tribalcostuming.tribe.net/threa...6da80a

attaching Turkomen buttons to a bra
tribalcostuming.tribe.net/threa...ea2833

what to use to sew on your coins
tribes.tribe.net/diycostum...740c4f717c

How to clean a coin bra
tribalcostuming.tribe.net/threa...5b3f07

How to clean and store your bra
www.farfesha.com/pages/costume-care.htm

Assuit source for covering your Bra
tribalcostuming.tribe.net/threa...e4a940

How to polish your coins
pages.cs.wisc.edu/~roy/magi...coins.html
gometaldetecting.com/cleaning-finds.html

How to clean copper coins
www.wikihow.com/Clean-Copp...-in-Seconds

Other ideas to decorate your bra besides coins
Scales by Pixie
tribes.tribe.net/diycostum...3977e112b1

Washers by Basha
tribes.tribe.net/diycostum...c688cd3670

Rabies Tags by Tanis
tribes.tribe.net/diycostum...4c6e25f201

Brass Tags by Haifa
tribalcostuming.tribe.net/photo...070bba

Macrame by Trudi
tribes.tribe.net/diycostum...2b5c2dbe60

Where to buy supplies for bras-o-rings, chain
www.costlesscostumes.com/ZCS.html

Where to buy coins
Velvet Peacock Designs for the Irish Pennies
please ask for them because they are not up on the site yet
www.velvetpeacockdesigns.com/


Sirik
stores.ebay.com/sirik_TRIB...tidZ1QQtZkm

Shimmy Bliss
www.shimmybliss.com/servlet/StoreFront

Tribal Souk
www.tribalsouk.com/

Red Camel
theredcamel.tripod.com/textiles.htm

Salome's Tent
www.salomestent.com/coins.htm

Bellydance shop
www.thebellydanceshop.com/products.php

Saroyan
www.saroyanzils.com/

The Goddess Garden
search.express.ebay.com/mercha...ykahlea

bluz4allah
search.express.ebay.com/mercha...z4allah

Attaching a coin drape to a bra
www.shira.net/cg/coinbra.htm
tribalcostuming.tribe.net/threa...cf5ed8

Books on how to make decorated/coin bras
The Costume Goddess
www.costumegoddess.com/books/beltbra.htm

Dawn Devine Brown
www.amazon.com/Embellishe.../0967817064

More Books
www.pinkgypsy.com/davina/

Patterns
www.artemisimports.com/patterns/

Tempest Corset Bra pattern
www.meddevi.com/dance/bout.../index.html

Vendors who sell coin bras
Velvet Peacock Designs
www.velvetpeacockdesigns.com/

Moondance Bellydance
www.moondancebellydance.com/coin...s.htm

My Tribal Rootz
www.etsy.com/shop.php

Liora Designs
www.liorabellydance.com/LioraD...ns.html

Tribal Bazaar
www.tribalbazaar.com/braandbeltsets.html

Tahiya custom made bras
www.tahiya.net/

Anaya Tribal
anayatribal.com/index.php

Coin Costumes-Sarah Skinner's Shop
www.shakemyday.com/shop/s_coin_cost.html

AngelDMort
www.angeldmort.com/

Khaduja's Costuming
www.khadujascostuming.com/

East Coast Tribal
stores.ebay.com/East-Coast-Tribal

Belly Roll
www.bellyroll.com/adorn.html

Heavy Metal Bras by Once in a Blue Moon
tribes.tribe.net/onceinabluemoon

Flying Skirts
www.flyingskirts.com/catalog/bras.shtml

Belli Phat-includes plus sizes
tribes.tribe.net/belliphat
www.etsy.com/shop.php

Tombo Studios-Goth
www.tombostudio.com/assuit.html

Naked Parrot Desings
www.etsy.com/shop.php

Gigi's Originals
stores.ebay.com/Gigi-Origi...-Every-Body
www.etsy.com/shop.php

Read my Hips
www.etsy.com/shop.php

The Goddess Garden
www.etsy.com/shop.php
www.freewebs.com/thegoddes.../webstore/

Synari
www.geocities.com/synaridesigns/
www.etsy.com/shop.php
tribes.tribe.net/synari-designs

Domba
www.domba.com/

Coin Drapes, Bras and Belts
by Costless Costumes
www.costlesscostumes.com/ZBDC.html

Project Level-easy to moderate
Project List
Shells
iridescent beads-Joanns or other craft stores
monofilament
pearl beads
other types of beads that are oceanic like

Sorry the pictures aren't so great but this is the Mermaid Shell Necklace that I was working on and finished for awhile. I wanted something big but more natural than the plastic crap at the stores. Using an already made necklace made out of hemp like string and brown beads on it, I added to it. I used the fishing line(mono-filament) to string up small shells, pearls and translucent beads on it. I used another string and strung up more beads and including my bigger shells on it. I did a strung up version of coral by stringing some small pearls on then at the top -go down the same strand of beads, skipping the top bead, and then continue doing the same thing through out the necklace to give a coral look.

I tied it off at the end to the necklace that I used. I have a picture of necklace I was looking for here
people.tribe.net/erikaschi...68bed8be32

Where to buy shells-besides the beach, craft stores, Joanns
www.usell-mart.com/catalog/index.php

www.seashellshop.com/shells.html

Pearls-buy at Joanns or any other craft store
www.craftamerica.com/pearls.htm

Monofilament-buy at Joanns or other craft stores
www.ohiobeads.com/catalog/i...p-370.html

www.geminidreamsbeads.com/pd_ny...yd.cfm

other beading projects
www.wittyliving.com/crafts/jewelry/

Where to buy shell necklaces
Shahlah has beautiful shell headpieces and other items
tribes.tribe.net/shahlahcraftdesigns
www.shahlahcraftdesigns.com

K-lee has some jewelry and some very cool hair shell items(hardcore headpieces)
www.thegoddessgarden.net/tt_fa...s.html

necklaces
www.whitebuffalobeadsandstones.com/healingpropertiesabaloneshell.html

www.native-american-market.com/ol...tml

www.kkpacific.com/Search.bok

there's many places just google shell necklace

other Mermaid diy blogs

Mermaid Hairfalls
people.tribe.net/erikaschi...137ed0a7fd

Mermaid Starfish Hair
people.tribe.net/erikaschi...71b40f70c0

Mermaid Seaweed Belt
people.tribe.net/erikaschi...1e8fa5cfe6

Mermaid Shell Bra
people.tribe.net/erikaschi...b9968119c8

SOLD

www.etsy.com/view_listing.php

Skirt For Sale
www.etsy.com/view_listing.php
Top is sold