How to sew a belt from genuine leather

In this material I would like to show you how to sew a belt from genuine leather.

I will use a blank made of vegetable tanned leather 4 mm thick and 40 mm wide. Anyone who has a belt cutter can cut the necessary strips themselves.

Let's start with a list of necessary tools, materials and consumables.

Saddler. You can use a special one for a belt, but I was comfortable with this too, since a convenient clamp allows you to quickly move the workpiece.
Cutting mat.
Blank for belt 40 mm wide. Or a belt cutter if you want to cut the strips yourself.
Pattern for belt. One part of the pattern allows you to conveniently mark the locations for the holes for installing belt screws and buckles, the other for marking the counter holes for the buckle tongue.
Buckle and belt screws.
Edge cutter.
Parallel marker. Only needed if you are going to stitch a belt.
Lowercase punches. I use round ones, with 5 mm pitches. Like the marker, they are needed only in the case of firmware.
Conical awl.
Slot punch. Size 25 mm x 5 mm. Needed for the hole for the buckle tongue.
Round punches. 3mm for belt screws. 5 mm for matching holes for the tongue.
Plastic backing for punches. Allows punches to remain sharp longer.
Scalpel. Or any other sharp knife.
Hammer. Or a special mallet.
Waxed thread. I use flat, wicker, 1 mm thick.
Toledo Super leather paint from Kenda Farben. In my case it is brown 33022.
SETA finishing cream. Excellent finish, evens out the color well, dries quickly, and gives a subtle, pleasant shine.
Tokonole. Edge polishing agent. Also used to smooth the bakhtarma (inner skin).
Needles.
Slicker. For polishing ends.

Skin selection

To make a handmade men's leather belt, you need to learn how to choose the perfect material. And there are several options here.

Calfskin belt

What the masters use:

calfskin - the most popular material in the production of belts, smooth, uniform and strong;
pigskin - is often used, but loses to calfskin, since it is inherently rough and grainy, and the durability of the material is also not impressive, but the price of a product made from pigskin will be low;
goatskin - this raw material is often used to make designer women's belts, but this option is also good for informal men's products.

If you want to stand out, you can take horse leather, although it is not easy to work with, it is a bit rough.

Of course, the most valuable thing will be a crocodile leather belt, but the cost of raw materials is simply enormous. Deerskin is durable and elastic, snakeskin is simply luxurious, but very expensive. High-quality sheep leather is also used in the manufacture of such products. Very often at crafts fairs you can see handmade belts made of buffalo leather.

Detail of upholstered furniture

Does your cushion keep sliding off your stool or chair, and the laces or Velcro closures seem ugly? Secure them with leather loops. In combination with good fabric they will look even noble.

Larger loops can be used to hang the pillow on the wall next to which there are stools or a bench - you get a soft backrest.

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The importance of a belt in a man's appearance

The social status of the owner, his character, mood, style - an ordinary belt can tell about this. Although, whether it will be ordinary, or the item will be interesting and of high quality, is decided by its owner. Business etiquette sees a belt as part of a suit, and it should be organic to the image as a whole. Of course, leather items are in favor. They are expensive, but you can wear such a belt for more than a couple of seasons.

Casual belt

A man's wardrobe can include:

belts for trousers - ideally combined with a business suit and shoes;
belts for jeans are wider than trouser versions, have a large buckle, and go well with sweaters;
universal - only leather item, width up to 3.5 cm;
informal - and these are things that can be the most striking in appearance, with complex shapes and structures, with interesting weaving and design, worn by men who like to look extravagant.

The highest quality accessories are made of genuine leather. The edges of such a product should be well painted and processed, the edges of the item are usually slightly rounded. The reverse end of the accessory must be strong, without a hint of delamination, and the metal parts must be securely fixed in place.

Curtain tiebacks

Both regular curtains and Roman curtains will look better with such a tieback than without. In the first case, we can be inspired by the works of Mathilda Clahr, already familiar to us, in the second, we are guided by a master class.

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Holders for hanger bars

The same as with shelves, only even simpler. These slats can be used in the kitchen or bathroom: they are convenient for hanging towels. The main thing is to fasten the crossbar with leather loops so that the structure does not fall apart. However, if you do this only on one side, it will be possible to broadcast handbags, beads or ties onto such a crossbar.

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Strap for guitar

If we make a guitar strap with our own hands, we will need no less skill. You should choose a suitable type of leather that is very durable. In this case, there is no need to narrow or trim the edges.

We choose the appropriate length based on the level at which the guitar will be located. It is easy to identify this value. Just compare it to a worn belt.

If you don’t have one at hand, you should measure it like this: put the belt on your shoulder, take the guitar, attach one end of the product to the soundboard, the other to the base of the instrument.

You may need the help of relatives or friends in this process, but it is necessary to take measurements.

Values taken “by eye” may become incorrect, which will result in unpleasant alterations.

Attaching the belt to the guitar follows the same principle as a trouser accessory. This means the edges must first be glued, and then the rivets must be attached.

Handles for everything

Not only cabinets can have leather handles. Removing small baskets from shelves (here's how to make them), moving floor cushions or moving a door stopper () is much more convenient and pleasant using a leather loop than just doing so.

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Is it possible to sew a leather belt with your own hands?

A high-quality leather belt is designed for a decent service life, is comfortable to wear and retains a presentable appearance for a long time. It is quite possible to make it yourself. A handmade product has many advantages:

originality of execution. You will be sure that no one else has such a thing as you (this is especially true for the fair sex);
full compliance with expectations. For your creation, you can choose the material, color and finish to your liking;
significant financial savings, since labor is always included in the cost of the purchased item.

What tools and materials will you need?

The material should be chosen depending on what idea the craftswoman has. The belt can be made of suede, natural or eco-leather, or thick fabric.

Be sure to decorate the product with a stylish buckle. It is also worth taking care of purchasing it in advance. It is advisable to buy several options. One of them will definitely become an integral part of the new thing.

Tools you will need: an awl, a leather knife, a ruler, and a hammer to remove a chamfer from the edge (if the belt is leather).

Also useful: hole punch, scissors, razor. Buckle made of plastic or metal.

Tools, accessories

As a rule, handmade leather belts are not made by beginners. Therefore, the arsenal of tools already includes the most popular tools in craftsmanship. But if you are a beginner and want to start making a belt, check the list of necessary tools and accessories.

What a master needs:

for marking - compasses, rulers, awls, scribers, saddlery marking tools (you won’t necessarily need everything at once, but if the hobby is not a one-time thing, it’s worth gradually accumulating the entire base);
for cutting - various knives, including polishing, saddlery, French, English, Japanese;
a splitting machine for thinning a product - it is usually purchased by a craftsman who actively sells his products;
From the accessories you will need buckles (the choice is individual), in some cases - carabiners and swivels, frames and handle holders (for informal designer work).

The tool is acquired with experience; each master has his own preferred knife or awl, which is convenient in most types of activities. Some people get by with a minimum of tools, while others need a whole rack with all kinds of knives and compasses.

Mount for watch or mirror

Fashionable mirrors and watches suspended on a leather strap can cost up to 48,000, so investing a couple of hours in creating such an item with your own hands is not at all a pity. The most logical place to look for things to experiment with is IKEA. We came across examples of improvements to watches and mirrors.

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