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DIY Ethic: Denim Belt
How to make and customise a denim belt
You don't need to be a genius at sewing to make customised and recycled denim belts. You do need to exercise your imagination about how to customise them. It also helps if you have a sewing machine - but a pair of scissors, some nail polish and superglue will do.
The basic idea is this:
Cut off the tops of your jeans. You only need the top. Now attach strips and bits until finally you have a multi-length customised denim belt to wear with any skirt, hotpants - anything, in fact, except another pair of jeans!
Themes for your denim belts
MASALA
'Masala' means 'mix' in indian. With 'masala' as a theme for your belt, think indian spices, warm colours, gold thread, gold ribbon like you get along the edge of sari cloth, bright glass beads, eye of allah beads (India is a multi-faith land after all), bright strips of cloth to hang down off the belt and plenty of room for accessories... no leather though, because cows are sacred in India!
KYOTO
Japan has a rich tradition of delicacy and striking detail in its textiles. If you make a Kyoto belt, you can evoke ancient japan with strips of cloth with kimono-style patterns. You can also sew on antique japanese coins from flea markets, or think sideways (okay, sideways as far as China) and have jade beads or tiny paper fans from souvenir stores, or red silk threads and pom-poms.
You can also go modern and work the Harajuku style with fluorescent threads and punky pvc, goth leather and victorian lace - you could even go to a computer fair and pick up some cheap circuitry for a robotic manga look!
SANDSTONE
Earth chicks will want something a little more grounded for their belt. Think nature-based accessories from the sea, the old West - you name it.
Suggestions for accessories might include suede strips, sea shells, home-made dreamcatchers, feathers, driftwood, coral and amber.
You can't go wrong with acquiring strips in a million shades of brown with a very few colours to accentuate - white, sea colours, green or coral, depending on if you're an airy, oceany, woody or fiery sort of earth chick.
ATTIC TREASURES
Okay, now it's really time to hit the dressing up box. Imagine the treasures you might find in your grandmother's attic and sew them straight onto that belt. Little mirrors, velvet, old lace, strings of jet beads and seed beeds, silk flowers, knitted ribbon, big sparkly gabochons, lockets and charms, old victorian brooches... anything goes!
Make your own denim belt
1) Get a pair of jeans that fits you
2) Cut off the top part of the jeans, about 3-4 inches below the waist.
It's fine if you cut jagged, ragged lines. In fact, it's better!
3) If you have a sewing machine or a lot of time you can hem the edges.
If you can't be bothered, then apply a thin line of clear nail polish to the cut edges of what will be your belt, so that the threads on the edge of the belt are less likely to unravel.
4) Attach your ribbons and bits and bobs behind the belts so they hang down prettily.
Our favourite method is to get some nice contrasting colour thread for your sewing machine, then sew the bits straight onto the belt so everyone can see the joins.
Make sure your hanging strips of cloth are sewn onto the inside of the belt so that when you wear it no-one will see the top bits of ribbon, only the bits hanging down.
If you have no sewing machine you can go for superglue. Bear in mind you have to press the two bits of cloth - the belt and the ribbon strip - together for anything from a few seconds to a minute, so this will be be pretty time-consuming as you repeat the procedure for each strip. Also, your belt won't last as long - superglue is cool, but nothing beats needle and thread.
5) Add additional accessories as you wish - pins, buttons, badges, little felt flowers, sequins - even if you don't have a sewing machine, by this point you should be able to break out the needle and thread.
6) You have now made a thing of beauty, so wear your belt with pride!
Our big love for the denim belt idea and photos go to...
Jenny Nazak and d-fly designs.
Jenny Nazak came up with the idea of these customised denim belts for d-fly designs. The images shown are photos of her products. At the time of writing this talented lady has no access to a sewing machine, but if you visit her site and contact her she may be able to make you a professional customised belt from her distro online store for about $30-40 (or possibly a little more depending on the customisation).
