DIY Elastic Belt

I had a request for a tutorial for the belt I wore in my last post, so here you go:

You will need:
-piece of elastic the same size as your waist (when very slightly stretched)
-clasp

I used a 2" leopard print elastic. My local Fabricland had a few different types of printed elastic, and if you type in "wide elastic" into Etsy you should be able to find some other neat patterns (I saw polka dots and some cute stripes!). You could also use lace or a wide ribbon, but the belt won't hug your curves as well.

For a clasp, you will want something that comes apart into two pieces, and which has a space on either side to attach the elastic to. Make sure the space is the same or slightly larger than the width of your elastic. I used a larger version of this style of clasp. I also saw this cute vintage one on Etsy. Don't buy one that needs to be hand-sewed onto the elastic. Your belt will be less secure and more likely to break. Once again, there should be a selection of clasps at your local fabric store (look where they keep the belt buckles).

Instructions:
Step 1) Fold elastic over one side of the clasp so there is a 1/2" part folded onto the wrong side. Using a zig-zag stitch, sew the edge to the belt. Go over this stitch line a few times, until you are happy with the look.
Step 2) Making sure the elastic isn't twisted, repeat step 1 on the other side.

And that's it! It is really quite easy, and you can have a new belt in as little as five minutes.