DIY Leather OBI belt

PURPLE and bedazzled Obi belt

I love purple, bling, and now obi belts.  Turns out belts are a little bit personal in terms of size (length), width (long torso short torso), etc.  But I really wanted a pattern and steps to create a purple leather obi belt.  At the stock show in Denver I picked up leather scraps for $5.00. Big ones!!  Purple and black. 

After a lot of searching and reading I decided to create my own pattern get brave and just do it.  My pattern is specifically arranged so my belt would leverage the scraps more effectively.

I found 2 sites that after reading I felt confident enough to proceed: http://catonalimb.blogspot.com/2011/11/suede-flower-leather-obi-belt-tutorial.html

http://etcetorize.blogspot.com/2011/02/extra-special-obi-belt.html

What you need:

1.       Leather sewing machine needles

These were critical and apparently have a slight cutting edge to help the needle smoothly puncture the leather. My leather is pretty thick so these were great. I only broke 1!I will elaborate in the steps.

2.       Rotary cutting blade or sturdy scissors that will not bind

3.       Coordinating or contrasting thread

4.       Leather

Pattern Notes:

·         I ended up making the end pieces rounded because they seem to fold more perfectly to join the strap.  When I played with a pointed or straighter end design the junction to strap looked off.

·         Where the pieces are seamed together it was way too thick for my machine to sew across for the overall edging. I stopped the edges before each  join and resumed on the other side.  I used super glue

My flower is a bracelet like add on. It slides off or on and is not fixed to the belt.

Look # 1 Just the bracelet like strap and the tied ends intersecting the long wrap pieces

1.       Create a 1 x 10 strip of material

2.       Punch 2 holes in loop

3.       Run leather strap/scrap through holes.

Look #2 Bracelet hidden by big flower and pin 

1.       Create flower petals in leather or fabric

2.       Sew into shape

3.       Sew onto round scrap of material in any configuration

4.       Punch 2 holed in center and run scrap/strap from look 1 into holes for 2

5.       Add a pin of any kind or glue on button or embellishment to hide messy sewing. Unless you are good like the inspiration and your stuff looks clean. Mine didn’t

Look # 3 Plain beltJ