How To Make Belts for Babies & Kids… the EASY way!
Boys are sometimes a little difficult to come up with sewing projects for. Okay, not true, there really are so many cute things to make them…..but when you compare it to GIRLS, it seems like there’s a lot less. However, I do have to say, the retail world has seriously stepped up their game in the past 5 years or so. There are definitely SO MANY more darling things to buy for Oliver (who’s 19 months) than when Connor (who is 7) was a baby. So thank you clothing designers out there. :)
BUT.
I still think there are some gaps to fill with the boys. I sometimes sit and think of fun things to make for Oliver and then can’t get it out of my head until I do. Even though I buy most of Oliver’s basic clothing (pants, shirts, shoes, jammies, etc), I get a serious kick out of making him the “extras”. You know, like neck ties, suspender shirts, cutesy baby blankets, vests, adapting current clothing, etc. (If you want to see everything I’ve made him, scroll through the Baby Tutorial Section….there are many pages of ideas!)
I recently realized that this child could really use a belt. And at first, I was going to just make him a leather belt that he could wear to church (and maybe I still will)….but then I started thinking of all the cute colors and designs that would be cute on a baby boy belt. So, I made my first belt for him—and that quickly turned into FIVE! Ha.
They are so quick, so fun…..and so CUTE!!! I just had to share with you guys how to make belts for babies and kids…..the EASY way!
And yes, I know these are considered an accessory and non-essential…..but hey, some pants don’t have the elastic tightener in the waistband and even if they do, sometimes it’s still not tight enough for little boys. Just cinch these right up…..and you’re good to go! But, what’s wrong with wearing them just for the sake of wearing them! I add ruffles to my girls dresses and bows to their hair. Are those necessary? Nope…but dang it, it’s cute! So these belts are just a little something “extra” for your little dude (…or girl too)!
Belts really are such a fun way to accessorize boy outfits for nicer occasions like church, a wedding, or Easter….
But you can add them to the more casual outfits too, you know, just for fun! Because, come on, how can you not smile at this kid in his new striped belt! (But really, this would be just as cute on a little girl wearing yellow pants with a pink polka dot belt that you made her….right??)
These belts are thick and sturdy and have a strip of patterned ribbon that make them so darling……and like nothing you’ll find in the stores!
And since they use a D-ring as a fastener, they can be cinched up pretty small but will extend to a larger waist size too…..which means they can last for YEARS!
And no joke, once you make one, you’ll make several more…..they really are THAT simple!
Who says you can’t accessorize the kiddos?!! Go on and make some for your kids, your friends’ kids, the neighbor kids next door, etc. And then excuse me while I watch Oliver test out his new dance moves while admiring his new belt! ;) (haha….love this kid!)
Okay, let’s jump right in!
SUPPLIES:
- 1-inch wide Belt Webbing (I like the kind that’s more fabric feeling, rather than the plastic feeling webbing)
- Ribbon, any size up to 1 inch (depending on how much of the webbing you want to see on both sides)
- Two 1-inch D-Rings
- Sewing Supplies (here’s a list of my favorite sewing supplies, in case you need a few ideas)
***Check out my Sewing Terms 101 post, for additional help.
Before getting started, decide on how long your belt needs to be. Keep in mind you want extra length for growth, PLUS, the size you need is larger when pants are on, versus measuring the actual waist. Once you decide how long you’d like the actual belt to be, add 2 1/2 inches.
I decided for my 19 month old (who wears 18-24 month size clothing), to make my finished length 26 1/2 inches…..which includes about 4 inches of extra belt that slides through the belt loop after securing the D-rings.
So, once you’ve decided on your belt length (and have added your 2 1/2 inches), cut a piece of webbing and a piece of ribbon that length. Both of my pieces shown below are 29 inches long.
Next, center the ribbon on top of your webbing and sew along both sides of the ribbon, nice and close to the edge of the ribbon.
Grab your two D-rings and slide them onto one end of the belt and fold over the raw edge 1/2 inch and then another 1 inch and then secure in place with 2 seams.
I always like to sew from the side that will be most visible, so keeping the folds in place, I sewed the 2 seams from this view.
Okay, so when using a D-ring style belt, once you loop the end through, the “back side” of the belt will be visible. So, in order to make the belt look the same, you can sew a whole other piece of ribbon along the back side…..or just attach some to the one end, OPPOSITE the end with the D-ring. (***You’ll see in the image below that the D-rings aren’t attached…but ignore that. For tutorial purposes, I thought it was easier to explain to add the rings first….but obviously it doesn’t matter.) Just be sure you’re adding enough so that when the belt is fastened, you see the ribbon and not the plain webbing. I attached about 8 inches (which includes extra for the seam allowance) to the back side of the belt and sewed along both sides, just like the front.
Next, you’ll need to finish off this end of the belt but you want it to fold AWAY from this view. So, technically, you’re folding away from the back of the belt and towards the front of the belt.
Fold over 1/2 inch, another 1/2 inch, then secure in place with 2 rows of stitching.
And that’s it. Time to secure your belts around those little waists and enjoy!
-Ashley
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Want to see a few more BOY PROJECTS?? Here are a few favorites!
Faux Vest Onesie…with Interchangeable Bowties
Such a great idea! Would love to adapt for an adult :)
These are great! I’ve taken it a step further in order to make it easier for taking pants off for changes/potty training. I attach Velcro to the back of the loose belt end plus a larger strip along the belt to secure that loose end. The bonus of this is that you don’t have a floppy end hanging out and you child can undo the belt themselves instead of trying to work at the D-rings. Another bonus is that I only end up using 1 D-ring per belt and since they usually come 2 to a package, there’s an extra one to make another belt!! No belts fit my skinny kids, so has been a sanity saver to make my own!
Brilliant…my Grandson is at the “do it MY self” stage…AND we’re started to potty train…d-rings are good,her design is so cute-but the velcro – genius!!!
I HAVE to make some of these belts ASAP! I may not have a baby boy yet… but I have about a million nephews whose mothers would really appreciate these :)