Crochet Pasties in Burlesque Costume Craft

Pasties are small adhesive coverings worn over the nipples, and in burlesque they work as both costume and canvas. Most are made from satin, sequins or beadwork, often finished with tassels that performers learn to twirl. A small corner of the craft world has translated the idea into yarn, producing crocheted versions that look closer to folk art than to stage glitter.

From stuffed animals to stagewear

Crocheters often begin with amigurumi, the Japanese-derived craft of small stuffed figures, and branch into novelty items. Two flat crocheted circles, the starting point of many yarn hearts, resemble the basic shape of a pastie, and some makers have used that resemblance to give a homely pastime a cheeky edge. The pieces are sometimes described as a way to make burlesque feel less intimidating to people who hesitate to perform.

Custom work for performers

Because handmade pairs are made individually, colour and lettering can follow a particular act. Holiday-themed cabarets, for example, have prompted red and green sets with a single word on each cup. Performers in several countries are among those who commission handmade costume pieces, and private buyers sometimes order pieces for personal use or as novelty gifts.

Adult-themed goods in the craft economy

Handmade-goods sites carry more adult-leaning merchandise than many visitors expect. Listings can cover erotic artwork, lingerie, novelty gifts, intimate jewellery, safer-sex zines and replica chastity belts, although many results for such searches are only loosely connected to the subject. Marketplaces set their own rules about which adult items they allow, and those rules change over time. This overview does not rate or endorse any seller.

Materials and technique

Crocheted pieces typically use cotton or acrylic yarn worked in small, tight stitches, often stiffened or lined so that they hold their shape. Makers sometimes add beads, ribbon or fringe, and the soft texture gives the finished pieces a look quite different from sequined or metal designs.

Why pasties matter in burlesque

Pasties became a standard part of North American burlesque partly because local rules on public nudity have long varied from city to city. They also fit a scene where performers often sew, bead and design their own costumes, so a hand-worked piece sits comfortably beside a rhinestone one. In that context, a crocheted pair is less a novelty than another branch of a costume tradition built on improvisation and humour.