Making a belt with your own hands (in this case using fabric) is a rather simple way to make a one-of-a-kind fashion item that you can brag about. Fabric belts are light, therefore perfect for the summer period; moreover, they are extremely versatile items: you can make them with any type of fabric and, if you keep a fairly loose cut, you can even use them as a foulard. To get started, all you need is some fabric and some basic sewing knowledge!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Making a Simple Belt to Tie
Step 1. Take your waist measurement
If you don't already know your waist measurement (for example, based on the size of pants you buy), don't worry - it's very easy to calculate. Take a tape measure and wrap it around the middle part of the trunk, or around the waist whose line is normally above the hips, just below the navel level. Check the measurement indicated on the measuring tape where it meets its starting end: this is the circumference of the waist.
Some women's belts are designed to be worn on the hips, rather than around the waist. In this case, run the tape a few inches lower so that it rests naturally around the top of your hips, and take your measurements as usual
Step 2. Choose the fabric
The next step is where you choose the fabric for your belt. If you don't have scraps of fabric on hand at home, you can find some pretty cheap at haberdashery or even online. You can make your belt from almost any type of fabric, as long as it is comfortable and durable. Regardless of the type of fabric you choose, the strip should be approximately 18cm longer than your waist size and approximately 13cm across. Here are some examples of fabric suitable for making a belt:
- Cotton (with designs or one color; "canvas" fabrics are particularly resistant).
- Polyester.
- Rayon.
- Bamboo fabric.
- Wool (not always cheap).
Step 3. Fold the edges inwards and iron them
When the fabric is ready, flatten it on the work surface lengthwise (from left to right), making sure that the design is facing down. Fold inwards the left and right edges of the fabric measuring about 1.5 cm; fold them by ironing them with a hot iron. With a needle and thread or a sewing machine, sew these cuffs leaving a margin of almost an inch.
This way, there will be no uncovered fabric edge in the final product. This is a basic rule of sewing: the bare edges of a fabric wear out faster than properly folded seams, so they are absolutely to be avoided
Step 4. Fold in half lengthwise and sew
Now, fold the top and bottom edges of the fabric just over 1cm and iron them as you just did for the left and right edges. Subsequently, fold the entire strip of fabric on itself lengthwise, in order to obtain a kind of long and thin ribbon (with the design visible, this time). Iron this fold, then sew both the top and bottom (folded) edges with a margin of almost an inch.
Step 5. Tie the belt around your waist
At this point, your belt is almost complete. To wear this simple belt model, all you have to do is tie it around your waist. If you want to add a touch of style to your belt, add a decorative bow or ribbon on the waist!
- If the open edges of the two ends of the belt disturb you, you can sew them inwards just as you did before with the other edges.
- Please note that this type of belt may be too loose for some trouser loops. This problem can be solved by simply folding the belt in half lengthwise once again and sewing the open edge again. However, you have to be careful as sewing on the same edge several times could give the belt a somewhat "scruffy" look.
Part 2 of 3: Add the Buckle
Step 1. Get a belt buckle
With a little extra effort, you can add a buckle to your brand new cloth belt so you can close it like any other belt on the market. However, to do this, you must first have a buckle. Almost any buckle can be applied to the belt you just made, as long as it is the right size to hold the fabric of the belt: from vintage framed and barbed ones to pompous cowboy-style ones with decorative function, there is no right choice or wrong.
You can purchase a buckle at thrift, vintage, antique, and department stores. You can also find belt buckles on the internet. E-commerce sites like Etsy also allow you to purchase unique handcrafted items
Step 2. Alternatively, get a pair of O-rings or D-rings
If you can't find belt buckles at local retailers or if you'd rather save some money, you can replace the classic buckle with common metal rings. The ideal is to find two rings of stainless steel or any other rust-resistant material, in the shape of the letter O or D, almost as wide as the transverse side of the belt and identical to each other.
O-rings and D-rings can be bought in hardware stores or online for cheap: one or two euros per piece
Step 3. Secure the buckle or rings with a small knot
Regardless of the type of buckle or locking mechanism you have chosen, you will normally have to fasten the buckle to the belt by passing it through one end of the same, which you will then fold around the base of the buckle to then sew and lock it. Make sure that the buckle is well secured to the belt: it will have to maintain more or less this position while having some room for movement for small adjustments.
If you are using a pair of O-rings or D-rings, remember to loop the belt around both of them before sewing
Step 4. Add holes on the other end of the belt, if necessary
If you are using a buckle that involves inserting a barb into the holes on the other end of the belt, it is time to make these holes. You can make small holes in the belt with a sharp knife, scissors or screwdriver. Make sure the holes are equidistant from each other and aligned in the center of your cloth belt.
Don't leave the edges of the holes frayed - you'll increase the risk of them wearing out or tearing earlier than expected. To avoid this inconvenience, you can use a buttonhole or an eyelet stitch. There are also special pliers to apply the buttonhole, if you do not want to do it manually
Step 5. Close the belt
Once you have applied the buckle or any other locking mechanism you want, use it as you would any other belt purchased in the store! There are many types of buckles or rings to close your belt and each has its own peculiarity, but it will not be difficult to understand how they work: the mechanism is rather intuitive.
If you are using O-rings or D-rings for the first time, don't worry - the mechanism is very simple. You simply have to slide the end of the belt into both rings, then bring it back towards the rings by passing it once again only in the first ring. Pull the belt to lock the locking mechanism. The rings will block the fabric of the belt by friction
Part 3 of 3: Adding Decorations
Step 1. Add a bow
The bows are very beautiful on women's belts (and men's, for those who love to dress in a more eccentric way). Above all, they can be made with the fabric left over from the same belt in order to have the perfect match! There are countless possibilities to make a bow: from a simple knot that resembles shoelaces to more complex structures. You could apply the finished bow directly to the belt, but there are alternatives: for example, apply it over a small flaw to hide it.
To get some ideas on how to tie a simple bow, see our article on the subject
Step 2. Add decorative seams
If you are comfortable with needle and thread or with the sewing machine, you could add some special stitching to further customize your belt. The stitching can be more or less complex, depending on your preference: from simple zigzag stitching to complex designs like flowers - it depends on how much time you want to dedicate to this operation.
Another nice idea is cross stitch, a technique that allows you to sew images on ready-made (or self-made) patterns. See our article on cross stitch for more information
Step 3. Add laces like in a corset
If you like challenges, try inserting laces across your belt as in a corset. You can operate in several ways; the simplest is perhaps to drill holes in a regular sequence along both edges of the belt, then thread a long lace or decorative ribbon crosswise through these holes. However, there are alternatives: if you are confident in your tailoring skills, you can even create an opening behind the belt and sew closures typical of a corset.
If you need help, check out our article on how to make a corset for basic guidelines on this sewing technique
Step 4. Be creative
The belt needs to fit your taste, so don't be afraid to go overboard. Nothing can limit the many customization possibilities of this belt except the imagination and the tools you have at your disposal! Here are some ideas to get you started customizing your belt, but there are plenty more:
- Add drawings made with markers.
- Sew or write your favorite phrase.
- Bleach the belt or tear it to give it a scruffy look.
- Apply rhinestones, metal studs etc.
- Apply decorative laces or fringes.
Advice
- To make a buttonhole by hand, you must first make a small cut in the fabric, then sew all around so that each stitch begins on the fabric, crosses the hole and finally returns upwards, always passing through the fabric.
- To make a buttonhole with the sewing machine, first make sure that it has a buttonhole foot. Use the buttonhole function to sew the sides and the top and bottom, then cut a gap between the two seams.
Warnings
- Be careful when using scissors, pins, needles and other sharp objects!
- If you are not sure how a sewing machine works, refer to the user manual or ask for the help of someone who knows how to use it.
