A Side Project called the Belt

I've been a good girl and done a bit of my thesis. I've also been entertaining my sister and niece and friends. Therefore I didn't get any sewing done this weekend. And I'm still waiting for those last two buttons so I could finish the dress. But I got a terrible urge to do at least some sewing. So I remembered that I had some fabric left over from when I reupholstered six of these old chairs that once belonged to my great-grandparents:

Old one on the left, new on the right.

I was looking for a fabric for these chairs with my friend and she found this beautiful piece for me! And it was for sale! The flowers and motives on that fabric are just screaming ME; I have a similar motive on a curtain as well. Anyhoo, so I had some fabric leftover. And since Casey posted not long ago a great tutorial on self-fabric belts, it was a done deal! I did do some things differently, but the end result is basically the same.

This is what I started out with. A thrifted belt buckle and some leftover fabric.

I started out by cutting two 10 cm wide fabric strips from the fabric to make the belt 4 cm wide. I left 1cm on each side for the seam allowances. I had to cut two strips because there wasn't enough fabric for one long strip. I did alter the length after I'd sewn the pieces together, it was easier for me that way. I then zigzagged the edges and sew the pieces together. I folded the strip in half and added some interfacing to the other side. I used interfacing because I haven't found the stiff belting that Casey uses. It helped that the fabric was so thick though. I therefore also didn't make the seamline in the middle of the strip but in the other long side.

Zigzagging away.

Some crroked interfacing.

I double-stiched the pointed end of the belt to secure it.

The fabric, just to give an idea of its thicknes. It is after all meant for furniture.

The teadious part: turning the belt inside out.

All turned and waiting for the iron.

I topstiched the upper side to keep the belt from wiggling.

I added some poppers like Casy to keep the ends in place.

Finished! And all in about an hour!

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Koska sormeni syyhysivät päästä viikonlopun jälkeen taas ompelemaan ja koska en ole vielä saanut aikaiseksi hakea niitä kahta viimeistä nappia söpöilymekkoon, päätin käyttää hyväkseni vanhoja kangasrippeitä. Päällystin kuusi vanhaa tuolia vähän aikaa sitten ihanaisella kankaalla. Kangasta jäi hieman yli ja ajattelin tässä olevan mainio tilaisuus opetella kangasvyön tekoa. Käytin samalla yhden kirpparilta löytämäni vyösoljen. Työhön meni runsas tunti ja nyt on kaapissa kauniista kankaasta tehty vyö, joka piristää mukavasti mekkoa kuin mekkoa!