Patchwork Camera Strap Tutorial

There are a bunch of camera strap/camera strap cover tutorials out there already (believe me, I spent an hour or more reading them), but none of them were exactly what I wanted.

If you want what I wanted, this is the tutorial for you!

Supplies:

camera strap
seam ripper
heavy weight interfacing the same length as your camera strap and 2 times the width
fabric scraps
thread that coordinates with the fabrics
black thread (or other thread that coordinates with the leather on the ends of the original strap)
leather needle

I got my camera straps on Amazon for $2.96. You may have an old one that needs a face lift.

Take your seam ripper to the backs of the ends of the strap. Cut every 2nd or 3rd stitch. I only did the portion to the left of the seam ripper in the picture. The other half wasn’t holding the strap in.

Once you’ve cut the stitching, pull it apart.

Cut through any additional threads and pull the strap out.

Trim/remove any additional loose threads. Do this to both ends of the strap.

Measure the width of the original strap. Mine measured 1.5”

Cut your interfacing TWICE the width and the same length as the original strap piece you just removed. Since my original strap was 1.5”, I cut my interfacing 3” wide.

Sew your fabric scraps together until you have a piece that is at least as long as the original strap and 2 times the width plus 1/2”. Press the seams. I pressed mine towards the darker fabric.

Place your interfacing on the back side of your fabric and fuse according to manufacturer’s directions.

Trim, leaving 1/4” of fabric past the interfacing on both long sides and flush with interfacing on the short ends.

Press the long edges in 1/4”

Turn it over and give it another good press.

Fold in half lengthwise and press again.

Edge stitch the open edge using the coordinating thread.

Edge stitch the other edge.

Do a line of stitching right down the middle and then two more lines (one on each side) between the edge stitch and the center line.

Insert the end of your new strap into the leather end you removed from the original strap.

Using the black thread (or whatever color matches your leather ends) and a leather needle, stitch right over the previous stitching line.

Do this to both ends and you’re done!