Tutorial: How to Make a Tie Belt With Only Leftover Scraps
Looking for something to do with your leftover scraps? Why not create this really simple tie-on belt. You can create patchwork belts with many different fabrics, or you can make a belt to perfectly match your homemade clothing.
Check out more DIY belt tutorials
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Supplies Needed:
Step 1
Make your belt pattern
You can download my pattern or make your own based on these measurements. You’ll cut out as many pieces as you need to in order for the belt to wrap around your waist about two times (so there is extra belt to tie). If you’re using my pattern, each added piece will add 8 inches to the final belt.
Also make a long rectangle to use for the reverse side of the belt and the interfacing.
Step 2
cut out the fabric and interfacing
Start with 8 pieces of scrap fabric, two long rectangle pieces, and two long interfacing pieces. You can always add more if necessary.
Step 3
sew your belt scraps together
Sewing on the diagonal like this is a little weird. To make the belt into a straight line, you actually need to sew them together at a right angle (as pictured above).
Note: If you do this right, there will be extra tabs sticking out on the seams (see below). You can cut these off after sewing the seams.
Step 4
sew the center back of the lining belt piece
You can make the lining out of scraps as well to make it a reversible belt, but I had a big enough piece of sateen scrap fabric that I could make the lining one solid color.
Step 5
cut the lining to match the diagonal of the front belt
Line up the interfacing and lining with the belt and cut the diagonals to match.
Step 5
apply interfacing
Fuse the interfacing to the reverse side of the fabric. If you are using a stiffer material, this might not be necessary. But usually it’s a good idea to but interfacing on at least one side.
Step 7
sew belt front and back together
Be sure to leave gap in the middle of the belt so that you can turn it right side out.
Step 8
clip curves and turn right side out
A pointy tool or loop turner can help you get the corners of the belt nice and crisp.
Step 9
press and sew the gap
Press the belt flat, being careful at the seams so you cannot see the color of the reverse side over the edge. Then sew up the center gap either by hand sewing or machine stitching with a matching color.
Finished!
