Guitar Strap

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Printed Cotton
• 1 1/2" Cotton Belting, 2yds
• Sewing Clips
• Basic Sewing Supplies
• 1 1/2" Adjustable Slide Buckle
• 1 1/2" Rectangle Ring, 2
• Leather, 3"x 9"
• Leathercraft Cement
• Double-Cap Rivets
• Double-Cap Rivet Tool
• Rubber Mallet
• Optional: 8mm Leather Punch

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spread a thin layer of Leathercraft glue over the back surface of the 3"x 9" leather, fold in half matching short ends together, and place something heavy on top while it dries. Set aside.
2. Cut cotton into a 2 1/2"x 73" strip - to attach shorter lengths together, see JOANN HACKS below.
3. Fold long edges in 1/2" and press with iron. Fold short edges in 1/2" and press with iron.
4. Secure pressed cotton onto belting with sewing clips.
5. Sew cotton onto belting with 1/4" seam allowance.
6. Loop one short end of the belting around the center bar of the adjustable slide buckle. Fold the raw edge in 1/2" and secure the belting loop around the buckle center by sewing in place.
7. Slide the rectangle ring onto the belting and pull near the slide buckle.
8. Loop the end of the belting through the slide buckle - under the outer edge, over the center, and under the other outer edge. Pull all the way through.
9. Slide the other rectangle ring onto the end of the belting and fold edge in 1/2" and secure by sewing in place.
10. Slide the first rectangle ring into place on the strap and, if needed, coax stiffer belting into a crease by pressing with heat or placing sewing clips on to hold it in shape while you work on the leather ends.
11. Cut the folded and glued leather into two strips that are 1 1/2"x 4 1/2".
12. Cut one short end on each strip into a rounded shape - use something round that you have on hand, like the Leathercraft glue bottle, as a stencil to trace onto the leather before cutting.
13. About 3/4" in from the rounded tip, make a mark. Use the rubber mallet to drive the 8mm Leather Punch through the leather at the mark. If you do not have a leather punch, use the Double-Cap Rivet Tool to simply make a smaller hole. Cut a straight line, about 3/4" long, extending upward from the hole.
14. Fold the top edge of the leather down 1" and add two marks equally spaced about 1/4" from the raw edge of the leather. Use the Double-Cap Rivet Tool to punch a hole through the leather on those marks. Then, refold the leather 1", and push a pen through the holes to mark the hole position on the other side of the folded leather. Use the Double-Cap Rivet Tool to punch a hole through those marks as well.
15. Repeat for the second piece of leather.
16. Fold the leather pieces around the rectangle rings on either side of the strap. Secure with Double-Cap Rivets.
17. Use fingernail to scuff up the cut edges of leather a little bit.

JOANN HACKS:

• Attach shorter lengths of cotton together with a diagonal seam - place the two pieces right sides together into an L, pin in place. Rotate the L so that the point is at top and resembles more of an A. Mark a line across the fabric, connecting middle corner to middle corner, crossing the A. Sew along that line. Trim the excess fabric down to 1/4" and press the seam open with your iron.
• If your cotton print is directional, check and double check that the print is going in the correct direction before sewing.
• If the strap belting is too thick to sew in place with your sewing machine, secure with Super Glue. Use sewing clips to hold in place while it dries.