DIY Belt

DIY Belt

Materials:
1 1/2 yards of Belting
Fabric
Eyelets
Basting Tape
Buckle
Needle and thread

Okay so here all the things you will need for this project: I bought my belting in the fashion district downtown but you can purchase it online: Here is the link and pic of what it looks like

I placed the instructions first followed by the picture: )

Cut your fabric the length you will need, this depends on your waist measurement, take a belt that you own already and measure the length of that plus 1″ seam allowance for the non buckle end. For the buckle end I cut the fabric 1 1/4 inch longer then the belting so when you fold over for the buckle you will be only folding fabric and not belting.

If you are using the 1 1/2 belting I used you will cut the width of your fabric 5″ if you are making a skinny belt this will be less. Simply wrap your fabric around your belting and make sure you have enough seam allowance to overlap in the center. For one end (not the buckle end) I folded the seam allowances in and hand stitched it closed.

I used basting tape to hold my fabric in place as I was folding it over so that it could be nice and tight, I did not want it to be loose or shift as I working with it. You can get this at Joanns.

I placed my basting tape along the length of my belting, then folded over one side. I placed the second strip of basting tape on top of the folded fabric edge and then folded in the other side. The second fold of fabric should have the seam allowance pressed under already for a finished look.

This is what you should end up with, once this was done I used a needle and thread and hand stitched the center overlap by hand.

Once this was basted I topstitched the sides of my belt along the very edge.

I tried on the belt to see exactly where I wanted my eyelets to go, this is something you will gauge, just make sure you place them so that the belt will fit when done and the extra eyelets will allow to loosen the belt or tighten as needed. I placed them 1 1/4 inches from each other.

Once I knew the placement I use my Awl to poke a hole where they would be placed.

I used my seam ripper to make slits in the hole I had just punched so I could get my eyelet through, this takes a little work since the belting is plastic and a little hard to cut.

I followed the manufacturers instructions on putting in my eyelets

Now that you are done with that part all that is left is to attach the buckle, I simply folded under 1/4 and then made a small whole using my awl to put the buckle thingy (I dont know what it is called 🙂 LOL through the fabric.

Then I folded the fabric under the buckle (on the wrong side of the belt) and hand stitched it closed and really tight so that my buckle would not shift. You could use a zipper foot to sew it down but I did not want stitching on the right side of my belt so I did it by hand.

I made a loop for the belt by cutting 1 1/2″ wide fabric by 3″ in length the folded over the edges and topstitched them closed, I then wrapped it around my belt and stitched it closed. I placed the end of my belt through the loop to make sure it when in smoothly.

And then you end up with a belt! pretty easy huh?

I hope this all made sense, if you any further questions or if I did not explain this well email me 🙂

Have Fun!!!