I drum in Punjabi suits fashioned from sari material. Generally, the choli/blouse is made from the end of the Sari material and the ornate end is fan-folded to tuck into the front of the coordinating slip. I have the ornate section worked into the front of the tunic and the border used to edge the sleeves, the bottom of the pants and sometimes at the neckline. There is plenty of material to fashion headwear, even for someone of my size (26). Depending on the weight of the material, you may need a lining to ensure seems are not overstressed. You may want to use the plainer section for the front of your costume as a background for your more ornate belt/hipscarf.

Here are two pics of me w/my tribal costume and a sari over it.
people.tribe.net/05d47da8-...60c161e057
people.tribe.net/05d47da8-...0b320e75c7
The video is here:
www.youtube.com/watch
The part with the sari was all improv, but I really liked the look of spinning with the sari...it made me feel so graceful! You can do barrel turns with it and use it as a face veil, too.
Good luck!
-Bastet