Use Your Serger to Make a Belt from Scrap Fabric

Kwik Sew 3394, with belt and lettuce hem

I am a petite, pear shaped woman. I love dresses that accentuate my waist and minimize my behind. Enter the belt. Fashions come and go, but I love belting dresses and sometimes tops. Although I don't always like my dresses to look matchy, matchy, I often use leftover fabric to create a tie belt for my sewing projects.

Using a serger makes sewing a belt with scrap fabric quick and easy. The rolled edge gives structure and stability to the built that avoids the need for using interfacing.

Tools
Serger
Sewing scissors or a rotary cutter and cutting mat
Olfa Ruler  or Styling Design Ruler

Materials
Scrap fabric

Maxi-Lock serger thread (white)
Schmetz Universal Point needle (size 12)

Step 1
Use a ruler to measure the amount of fabric needed. For example, for a belt the wraps once and then ties, I cut the measurements of the waist plus eight to ten inches. For a belt the wraps twice, the formula is two times the waist plus eight to ten inches. You may need to sew pieces of fabric together to get the length you need.

Step 2
Cut the fabric to the width needed using sewing scissors or a rotary cutter and cutting mat. For example, for a 1 inch belt, cut the fabric three inches wide.

Step 3
Fold the fabric in half and press with a hot iron.

Step 4

Serger belt from scrap fabric

Use your serger to serge a three thread rolled hem on the open side of the belt.

Step 5
Serge the folded side of the belt. Serge in the opposite direction from the direction of the first edge to avoid warping the shape of the fabric.

Step 6
Serge each of the ends. Serge a straight line or cut the ends to a point and serge first one side of the point and then the other.

Step 7
Snip the threads.

Further Reading
"Easy Sewing the KWIK SEW Way"; Kerstin Martensson; 2002.