How to Make a Studded Belt Smaller

Stylish studded belts sometimes must be shortened to fit.

Resizing a belt to fit a smaller waist is a fairly uncomplicated task. Belts with studs can be a little more difficult as often some studs must be removed for you to get the look and fit you desire. It is important to maintain the style of the belt and not make any alterations that will cause studs to fall off during regular wear. Your resized belt should fit comfortably, and also to do its designated job of keeping your clothes snug on your body.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Utility knife
• Marker or Sharpie in the color of the belt

Instructions

1. Put the belt on before you do any cutting, and determine how much material needs to be cut off to give you the fit you desire. Mark the length you will be cutting off with your pencil, and mark the places where the new buckle holes need to be located. Remove the belt and lay it out on a flat surface. Check to see if any studs will need to be removed for the belt to fit through the buckle. If you need to remove studs, turn the belt over and use the tip of your utility knife to pry open the back clasps of the studs you are removing. Turn the belt back over and remove the studs with your fingers or the tip of your knife.

2. After the excess studs are removed, use the utility knife to cut the belt at the spot you marked with your pencil. Tapering or rounding the end as you cut it will make it easier to insert into you belt buckle. Poke new holes for the belt buckle with the tip of your knife.

3. Use a marker to color the cut end of the belt if it is canvas. For leather belts, rub the cut end with sandpaper to give it a smooth finish. Try on the belt to confirm that it fits the way you want it to.

Tips & Warnings

• If your belt is made out of a material that is woven, such as canvas, you may need to singe the cut end of the belt so that the belt fabric won't unravel. To do this, simply take a lighter and move the flame close to the cut edge until the fabric begins to melt. Pinch the warmed fabric to create a sealed end.

• Be sure to have adult supervision when working with knives and flames.

References

• "Making Stylish Belts: Do-It-Yourself Projects to Craft and Sew at Home"; Ellen Goldstein-Lynch, Nicole Malone and Sarah Mullins; 2007
• You Look Fab: The Skinny Belt Shortening Trick

Resources

• Leather Unlimited: Cutting Tools