DIY Utility Belt
A utility belt really comes in handy when you find yourself up a ladder working on a DIY building project. Having the lightweight tools you need strapped around your waist saves a lot of travel up and down the steps. Making your own utility belt allows you to customize it to your requirements and constitutes a simple and fun process. You can even stay on call for life's emergencies while on the job by including a pocket for your mobile phone.
Things You'll Need
- Old pair of jeans
- Scissors
- Old shirt
- Marker pen
- Utility knife
- Metal ruler
- Duct tape
- Iron press
Instructions
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1
Cut the waistband off an old pair of jeans using with scissors, staying as close to the seam as possible to avoid fraying.
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2
Place your mobile phone against the fabric of an old shirt, and mark its outline with a marker pen. Keep it close to the hem of the shirt so you can use the seam. Bring the hem up to form a pocket for the phone; allow for extra material above the phone so you can attach it to the belt.
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3
Cut out the strip of material, and its back side with duct tape. Overlay the tape to achieve full coverage.
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4
Press the fabric side of the strip with a medium-warm iron.
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5
Tidy up the shape of the fabric by using a utility knife and ruler to cut the sides into straight lines.
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6
Place the fabric side of the strip face down, and pull down the top end of the strip to make a loop for the belt. Secure it with duct tape.
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7
Place the phone centrally, and pull up the fabric to make an appropriate pocket. Secure the sides with duct tape. Protect the strip with a spare piece of fabric before pressing it with a warm iron.
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8
Loop the finished mobile phone holder onto the belt.
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9
Using the same principle detailed in steps 2 through 8, customize your tool belt for the tools you use, such as a glue gun, screwdriver, utility knife, torch or tape measure. You can even make a beer holder.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Sew a cut-away belt loop horizontally along the side of the belt, and hang a hammer through it.
Keep the iron on a low heat when ironing the pocket; otherwise, you will melt the duct tape.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
