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| Let's Stitch a Belt! |
I've noticed that many nights I am too tired to stitch anything complicated. but I still want to keep my hands busy. So I took a dive into The Stash and pulled out some narrow scrap canvas and all my colors of size 8 perle cotton to make myself a belt. Then I borrowed a set of small scroll bars from a friend and put the canvas on the roller bars. To do this, you need to first measure your belt size, cut the canvas the proper length to fit your waist, and make sure your canvas for the belt isn't wider than the scroll bars. Then you sew each end of the plain canvas to the material stapled to the roller bars, using long basting stitches. (See above.) I also marked with a pencil the start line on my canvas. The end line (I need 35 inches of belt length*) is also marked but of course you can't see that because it is rolled out of sight. I will roll my end tighter when I start to stitch. I just wanted you to see the basting stitches. You'll need a sharp needle and a thin thread (like size 16 perle cotton or regular sewing thread) to baste the canvas to the stretcher bar fabric.
If you do a lot of belts, invest in K's belt frame. You can see it below, mounted in a table stand.
http://kscreations.com/acc_belt.htm
You can also use regular scroll or roller frames in your floor stand. I borrowed a small scroll frame (the dimensions are roughly seven inches for the side bars where the fabric is attached and eight inches for the bars that are normally at the top or bottom).
https://www.amysgoldenstrand.com/store/p1833/K%27s_Creations_Belt_Frame_12%22.html
Some folks also stitch belts in hand, rolling each end and clipping it shut with something like the giant paper clips available at office supply stores.
I'll be stitching this turned on end, with the side bars that have the nuts to tighten/loosen the canvas on the top and bottom. Here's another view so you can see the two rows of basting I did.
I charted two vaguely Asian motifs (a flower and a paper lantern) for my belt. I've decided to use dark navy blue for the background and will stitch the motifs in other contrasting colors.
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| My Size 8 Perle Cotton Threads |
Stay tuned!
*As always, think about finishing before you start a project. Since I plan to send my stitched belt to Hill Top Leather Shop to make up into a belt, I read over their belt information very carefully. That's how I know my belt needs to be 35 inches long and that the first and last two inches of stitching will be covered by the leather and buckle of the finished belt. The belt finisher you choose may use different finishing techniques, so always check with them first.
https://hilltopleather.com/belt-finishing
UPDATE: Here is belt information from Needlepoint.com. They want something totally different when it comes to measuring a belt length and how to work the edges. The moral is, always ask how to measure the length and the preferred edging technique before you start your belt.
https://needlepoint.com/blogs/needlepoint-know-how/everything-you-need-to-know-about-stitching-a-belt?utm_source=Needlepoint.Com&utm_campaign=ece01b8591-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_07_12_06_57&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6eed0b10d5-ece01b8591-579725333&goal=0_6eed0b10d5-ece01b8591-579725333&mc_cid=ece01b8591&mc_eid=3a360cb48b
Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright June 24, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.
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