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

Monster High Costumes

Monster High Costumes

Inspiration: Frankenstein’s Daughter

Shirt:

Simple T-shirts from craft store for $2.50 on sale.  They were boxy so I shaped them and added a sleve detail that saves me from creating alternative sleeves with poof.

Series 1: Inside the t-shirt sleeve I made a tiny slit halfway from the bottom on both sides. Using a small piece of elastic I ran it through the top with a safety pin and stitched it down.

Series 2: Turned the t-shirt inside out and had Mak put it on.  I pinned the sides to a fitted shape and had her take it off. I stitched along that line for a fitted shirt. As the bustier (faux) is going over top this shirt it needs to fit smooth on the body.  I am surprised how cute the shirt looks.  FYI only the top half of the t is sleeve is gathered because Mak has a broken arm and the cast has to fit through it. I will say this works for a restyle as well because it poufs but isn’t squeezing her bicep which looks lame and is common to a lot a shirts lately from the stores.

Series 3: I cut a square of plaid, lined up like a bustier and sewed it directly to the front of the shirt.  Add a collar like the threadbanger design here http://youtu.be/QkntSQ-s7G4 and almost done.

I forgot to take an after shot when sewn on. Sooo... imagine it sewn on with 2 faux boning channels to the side of each breast.

Using the plaid fabric I cut 2 pieces about 30x10 and 2 pieces cut 60x15. I only ended up using one of the second for the skirt.

Series 1: In the smaller 2 I created a channel to run the elastic. Once elastic was threaded I closed it up and fit it Mak.  Note:  The skirt I copied had the elastic sewn in horizontally but I didn’t want to take that much time. I just sewed it in place on both sides.  I don’t have the girls with me while sewing every step so I keep doing things that allow me to fit to them later.  Not great for steps but works for speed once I get the girls in front of me.

Series 2:  I ran a straight long stich along the top of the long piece. If you skip locking the stitch in you can pull the thread when done and get a gather. Lots of websites describe gathering techniques.  This is crazy fast and easy for a costume.

Series 3: I lined it up and pinned the gathered bottom to the top.  I had to undo and redo this twice to get inside outside correct. I was not thinking it out and trying to work too fast.

All told even with the 2 repeat pinning efforts the skirt only took about 20 minutes to make. And the total fabric purchase was $4 for both costumes. Cheap all together for this effort. I purposely made this a bit modest.  When we add the tulle skirt beneath I want the skirt to stay down and not look like the less modest purchased version.  After all this is for a 9 and 4 year old not meJ

Still to do: temporaty tattoos, latex neck bolts, earrings, tie, belt, dog, journal.