Need to make belt....HELP!!!

[JustJen]

Hi all!
I recently won a wonderful black and red dress but the belt is completely shredded unbeknownst to me (but that another story). My mom said that 'back in the day' you could make your own belt when you sewed a dress.


Does anyone know where I can find a belt 'kit'?


Thanks!!
Jen

[decodoll]

As far as the kits you used to be able to find in fabric stores, they've been discontinued. However, Greenberg and Hammer (http://www.greenberg-hammer.com/) still sells the buckles that you can cover, and you can still find belting in most fabric stores. I snap up every vintage kit I come across. :)

[JustJen]

Thanks for the tip! I'll keep my eyes open.

Jen

[magneto]

If what you're picturing is just the kind of skinny flexible fabric-covered dress belt, in the same fabric as your dress, that is all too often missing from our vintage purchases... a cheap solution: assuming there is extra fabric you can get from your dress (say, a very deep hem)--
I have bought cheap belts from the thrift-store bin and (here I hide lest sewing mafia come after me) glued the "extra" fabric over the belt body. Voila, matching belt. Please ignore my tacky (no pun intended) suggestion if you mean something else... :)

[Lauren]

lol That was cute. I like your pun lol

I've never covered a belt so I'm interested too! I usually just take the easy way out and do a long stip of fabric and have a loose one, or a tie belt. But I guess that's more 30's than 40's anyways...

[JustJen]

Magneto~
That's exactly what I'm whining about! That's a fabu idea. I could sew a tube and insert the belt that way.....I'm a goof with glue. Sewing I can manage, glue not so much. Sadly, when I work with any kind of glue, I end up the butt of the joke in my family for the next 2 years....lol.


Jen

[Rosie]

As far as the kits you used to be able to find in fabric stores, they've been discontinued. However, Greenberg and Hammer (http://www.greenberg-hammer.com/) still sells the buckles that you can cover, and you can still find belting in most fabric stores. I snap up every vintage kit I come across. :)

WOW! Thanks so much for that store suggestion, and they're right here in NYC, I'm SO going there! Thanks again. :)

[decodoll]

You're welcome. :) I'm very jealous of your access to all the great sewing and millinery supply shops in New York!!