Basha -
Relax! It's not as complicated as it sounds. ;-)

1. Circle skirt with slits = (3) half circle sections - sew (2) of these together / typically for the backside - the (1) remaining half circle is worn on the front - see, no actual splits / just not sewn together ;-)
a. if you don't want the splits to go all the way to the waist, you can stitch them down to where ever is most comfortable for you
b. another opton, leave only one side open

2. Belt = from my meager experience & knowledge
a. the base is a sturdy fabric or thick interfacing - cut to a shape that flatters you - look at the Sugar Petals website for an idea of the different cuts - and study the "fitting-a-belt"info on shira.net
b. said base is covered with fabric (??matching the bra??) and then beaded and fringed
c. inside of belt base is covered with another fabric <one with a *rough* texture to help keep it from sliding>
d. on the back and sides of your belt - you might want to stitch small loops of fabric so you can safety pin the skirt & belt together

Suggestion =
Don't go "whole hog" on your first belt. I'm afraid you'll get overwhelmed and give up. Shoot, I have hands-on experience and I've got unfinished pieces in the closet because it does get to be a bit much. It's not cheating if you can find a piece of real sparkly fabric (or thrift store goody) to use - you can always add beads and fringe. A good fitting belt base pattern is the key here.

Oops! gotta go

Don't be nervous you can do it!!

Most belts are not attached to the skirt. This allows you to mix and match the belt with any skirt or pants.

Circle skirts are really easy to make. Mine have a casing at the top with elastic threaded through. The full circle in back is not connected to the half circle in front, so I can slide the pieces close together for more coverage, or open them wide apart to show off harem pants. Back in the 70s and 80s dancers often wore skirts with huge splits and NO harem pants to show off a lot of leg. I never felt comfortable with that style on me. A well placed safety pin or two helps keep everything in place.

My suggestion is to start with the skirt. They look nice with hipscarves, a belt is not necessary. You could buy a pattern (Artemis Imports carries one), but the pieces are just semi-circles, so IMHO, a pattern is not worth the money. Here's some links on how to make them.

shira.net/make-cskirt.htm

www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Ful...Dance-Skirt

www.sevenveils.co.uk/learnin...cleskirt

Bras and belts are a little more complicated. Artemis Imports www.artemisimports.com carries patterns with instructions for making belts and bras, but I'm sure you'll find instructions on the 'net if you do a Google search.

To make a belt, first make the shape with heavy paper, and fit it to your body. Then use that paper pattern to cut out several layers of heavy, stiff fabric (like the denim from an old pair of jeans), and stitch them together. Then add a seam allowance to the pattern, and use it to cut the cover fabric and the lining. Denim is fine for lining, velvet is luxurious & helps the belt stay in place.

Bras are a little more complicated. Stretch fabric is a lot easier to work with and a lot more forgiving than woven fabrics. Sometimes the covering and decorations can cause the cup size to "shrink", so you might want to start with a base bra one cup size above your normal size.

Dina Lydia The Costume Goddess and Dawn Devine both have several excellent books that walk you step by step through the process of creating a belt and bra. If your nervous, investing in a book might be a good idea.

Dina's site is www.costumegoddess.com/CGtellsall2.htm

Dawn's is www.davina.org/

you can also snap the belt onto the skirt at the hips to keep it from spinning around your waist and not lining up with the skirt right. if you put all your male snaps on belts and female snaps on skirts (or vice-verses, so long as it's consistent) and put them at the same spots then you can switch all your belts to all your skirts (unless they are different sizes ^_~)