Belts (belts) made of fabric are easy enough crafts to create unique homemade creations. A cloth belt is a lightweight accessory and is perfect for summer wear. There are also many uses for this accessory, and it can be made from any type of fabric you like. If you make the belt wide enough, you can even wear it as a scarf. All you need is a little cloth and some basic sewing skills!
Step
Part 1 of 3: Making a Regular "Tie" Belt
Step 1. Measure your waist circumference
If you don't know your waist size (for example, your pants size), you can easily measure it. Take a measuring tape and loop it around the center of your waist, generally above your hips, just below your belly button. Look at the numbers indicated by the measuring tape where the sections are starting to overlap. This is your waist measurement.
Some types of women's belts are made to be worn on the hips, not the waist. For such a belt, slide the tape measure down a few inches so that it loops over your hips and take the measurement as you normally would
Step 2. Select the fabric to be used
Next, select the belt material. If you don't have any leftover fabrics at home to work with, you can buy them cheaply at a craft store (or even online). Almost any type of comfortable and durable fabric is suitable for use as a belt material. Whatever fabric you choose, use sheet fabric that is about 18 cm longer than your waistline, and about 12 cm wide. The following are some examples of types of fabrics that are suitable for use as belt materials:
- Cotton (both patterned and plain, or a very durable "mesh" fabric)
- polyester
- Rayon
- Bamboo fiber cloth
- Wool (may be expensive)
Step 3. Fold the edges of the fabric and iron
Once you've got it, place the fabric lengthwise (from your right to your left) upside down (so the pattern is facing down) on the workbench. Fold the right and left sides of the fabric about 1.25 cm. Use a hot iron to maintain the folds. Use a needle and thread or a sewing machine to sew these pleats with a seam about 0.8 cm wide.
This is done so that there are no exposed edges of the fabric after the belt is finished. This step is the standard sewing method. The exposed edges of the fabric will wear out faster than a neat seam, so you should try your best to avoid this
Step 4. Fold in half the same length then sew
Next, fold the top and bottom edges of the fabric about 1.25 cm and iron them to hold the shape, the same as on the right and left edges of the previous fabric. Then, fold the entire sheet of fabric the same length so that it looks like a small long strip (with the pattern on the fabric now facing up). Iron this crease, then sew the top and bottom edges with a 0.6 cm wide seam.
Step 5. Tie it to your waist
At this point, your belt is almost finished. You just need to tie this simple belt around your waist to wear it. If you like, you can even tie it in a decorative knot or form a ribbon around the waist to enhance the look.
- If the open ends of the belt interfere with your appearance, sew like the previous belt edge.
- Note that this belt may be too wide to fit as a belt on some pants. You can work around this by folding the belt the same length again, and sewing the exposed edges. However, keep in mind that sewing the fabric on the same side will make it look a little messy.
Part 2 of 3: Fitting the Belt Head
Step 1. Assemble the finished belt head
With just a little effort, you can easily attach the head of the belt so it can be worn like a store-bought belt. However, first, you must prepare the belt head. All types of belt heads can actually be used, as long as they are not too big or small in size compared to the belt. From old fashioned clasps to oversized cowboy-style headbands, you're free to choose.
Belt heads can be purchased at thrift stores, antique stores, and even major department stores. In addition, the head of the belt is also easy to order via the internet. Craft sites like Etsy even allow you to buy unique handmade belt heads
Step 2. Alternatively, use two rings in the shape of the letter O or D
If you can't find a belt head around you, or want to save money, you can also use a metal ring as a belt head. Ideally, these rings should be made of stainless steel or other stainless steel, in the shape of an O or D, and should be the same width as the belt, and they should be nearly the same size.
Metal rings in the shape of D and O are often sold at hardware stores or on the internet at low prices, sometimes even as low as Rp. 15,000-Rp. 30,000 per ring
Step 3. Attach the belt head or ring by wrapping the belt
Regardless of how you use it, you should generally attach the belt head by threading one end of the belt through it and sewing this end to prevent the belt head from falling off. Tighten the loop on the belt head, so that its position does not change easily but can still move slightly to adjust it.
If you're using a D or O-shaped ring, you'll need to wrap the belt around both rings at once before sewing
Step 4. Make a hole in the other end of the belt if necessary
If you are using a clip-on belt head, you will need to make a hole like this. You can punch holes in the belt with a sharp knife, scissors, or even a bolt. Make sure to leave an even gap between the parallel holes in the center of the fabric.
Do not let the fibers of the fabric at the edge of the hole come loose. This will make the belt loops wear and tear easily. So, sew a buttonhole stitch or use an eyelet frame. You can even use eyelet pliers if you don't want to do it directly by hand
Step 5. Tie the belt as usual
Once the belt head or ring is attached to the belt, you can use it as you normally would. A variety of belt heads can be used, so it's possible that the way you tie your belt is different from the next step, although it's probably mostly the same.
If you're going to be wearing an O or D shaped ring for the first time, don't worry, it's pretty easy to use to fasten a belt. You just need to pass the end of the belt through both rings, then bring it back through the ring, and thread it through the first ring one more time. Pull the belt to tighten it. The two rings will tighten the belt by friction between the layers of the belt fabric and maintain its position
Part 3 of 3: Adding Decorations
Step 1. Attach the ribbon
Ribbons will enhance the look of a cloth belt for women (and very confident men). In addition, ribbons can also be made from leftover belt fabric so that they can be matched! There are so many different types of ribbons, from simple knots, to more complicated ones. You may need to sew the finished ribbon onto the belt, but there are other options as well, such as attaching the ribbon over the head of the belt that isn't very good at hiding it.
For easy options for tying ribbons, visit this article
Step 2. Add decorative stitches
If you want, you may be able to add decorative stitches to make the belt even more unique. These stitches can be made as complex as you like, from simple zigzag patterns, to complex patterns like flowers if possible, depending on your time allocation.
You can also make a cross stitch, so you can sew a finished (or homemade) pattern onto the belt. Check out our article on cross stitch to find out more about it
Step 3. Tie the straps criss-cross like a corset strap
If you want to make it more challenging, try attaching a criss-cross strap to your belt. You can make it in several ways. The easiest way is to make holes in the belt at the top and bottom, then thread a string or ribbon through it. However, there's also another way: if you're confident enough in your sewing skills, make a slit behind the belt, and sew the laces across like a real corset.
For help, read the articles on making a corset and making a corset bracelet for a basic guide on how to make one
Step 4. Let your creativity flow
You're free to make the belt however you want, so don't be afraid to let your creativity flow. There's almost no limit to decorating a belt with the exception of your imagination and tools! Here are some ideas for decorating belts (and many more):
- Make decorative pictures with markers
- Sew or write your favorite aphorisms on the belt
- Soak the belt in bleach or tear it to make it look worn
- Attach beads, faux metal spikes, etc.
- Sew tassels or lace for decoration
Tips
- To make buttonholes, first make an incision in the fabric. Then sew around the incision. So, each stitch starts in the fabric, goes into the hole, and goes back through the fabric.
- To make buttonholes with a sewing machine, first make sure your machine has a buttonhole holder. Use the buttonhole loop to sew around the hole, then make an incision between the stitch lines.
Warning
- Be careful when using scissors, safety pins, needles and other sharp objects!
- If in doubt about using a sewing machine, read the user manual or ask a friend who can sew for help.
