Child's tool belt

Beth Pierce murmured while asleep:

get some 2" canvas belt from an upholstery shop, make loops to put the tools through out of 1" web, make a pocket or two out of canvas, use a 2" buckle for the waist

Penny S

Hi Beth,

If you could borrow the tools for a short time, you could make the belt to fit the tools.

I do have a tool belt pattern which I could photo / scan in for you, but I don't think you need a pattern - they are very easy.

The pattern I have suggests using a thick twill tape for the main belt

- about 2" wide. A second layer of tape can be used to make "loops" on the belt for pushing tools through. You can also make pockets from a sturdy material like canvas, that thread onto the belt, and hold tools that can't be threaded. Very easily done in "Bob" colours. The pattern I have uses a proper clunk click plastic push fit buckle thing to fasten the belt, but for a child I would suggest you just make it long and tie the ends, or use a couple of D-rings so it can be adjusted easily to a growing waist size.

HTH, Sarah

Thanks sooo much! I'll use this. I have some canvas fabric for the pocket and the 1" web, so I'll have to look for the

I"m thinking that it's going to be more what the belt "does" that what it looks like. Shoot, you could cut the canvas into a 4" wide strip, hem it on the long edges, and make **that** the belt. Denim would work too. Be sure to stock it with all sorts of kid size tools. If you go to a site for Home Depot or soemthing like that, you'll get lots of ideas on how they are supposed to look.

Penny

Re: Child's tool belt Group: alt.sewing Date: Sat, Dec 13, 2003, 1:06pm (EST+5) From: snipped-for-privacy@epixSPAM.net (Beth=A0Pierce) Penny S wrote: Beth Pierce murmured while asleep: I have a grand nephew who is into Bob the Builder. His grandmother bought him some tools for Christmas and I would like to make him a tool belt. Would anyone want to share a design for one? =A0=A0get some 2" canvas belt from an upholstery shop, make loops to put the tools through out of 1" web, make a pocket or two out of canvas, use a 2" buckle for the waist Penny S Thanks sooo much! I'll use this. I have some canvas fabric for the pocket and the 1" web, so I'll have to look for the 2" canvas belt (not too many upholstery shops around here....)

Which you might even be able to buy at the dollar store, or at a discount store. I've seen lots of inexpensive toy tools over the years, and since boys' things don't change all that much, I'd bet you can still find them.

Sounds like a cute gift!

Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati

Snip

You could also try 'Dollar' stores for either 'military style' webbing belts or the nylon webbing straps used to secure suitcases (I use these a lot for the kite bags I build as they come complete with buckles for far less than you can buy the seperate pieces.......webbing, buckles, sliders etc.) Wally Mart also has webbing belts in the camping section.

Another cheap source for webbing is your local scrap/junk yard (old seat belts!) If you ask nicely and tell them what it is for they may even give a length of seat belt webbing for free (you may have to put it through the wash to remove any blood stains though......EEEKKK!!!)

Larry

Thank you Sarah, especially for the tip on the D-rings. He's about 3 years old, and I'd probably use the push fit buckle so he won't have to bug his mom to tie the belt.

Penny, while taking a moment from her busy schedule, replies:

This is excellent as his grandmother gave me a bunch of jeans she didn't want anymore and I could use the denim from the legs. I used the tops of the jeans to make two walker bags for her two "mentally challenged" {please forgive; I don't remember the proper term} sisters-in-law. The bags were another idea; take the tops of jeans, cut off the legs, sew along the bottom (I inserted lace) and make loops to fit the walker. I embroidered their names just below a front pocket, and then embroidered a design on the other side. She's filling the bags, including the pockets, with books and puzzles and giving them as a gift.

Thanks so much for the replies!

Be sure

I made exactly this for my boyfriend's nephew. (to go with the Bob PJs I posted about ages ago)

I decided that comfort and practicality were more important than authenticity and so I ended up making it out of two layers of 2 inch yellow belt elastic. I sewed vertical bars across the two thicknesses at intervals, these will hold the tools between the two layers. I sewed in a woman's belt buckle form that looks much like Bob's buckle does. The belt actually closes with velcro in back. That, plus the elasticity, will help it fit for a long time. In my case I got a set of tools from a local discount store for $3.

-Charlotte

Beth Pierce wrote:

In the US, any climbing shop (EMS, Eastern Mountain Sports; REI, Recreational Equipment Inc (?)), etc should stock 2" nylon strap. It's seat belt material if you have an extra one 8-)

Pirate_Dave

Ah! REI I know well; used to live out west and it was one of my favorite stores to go into during my lunch hour!

I found some nylon webbing (strap) that was about 1-1/2" wide in a beige color and it matched the canvas I had. I made pockets out of the canvas; one for each side. I made nail pockets on the outside of one pocket, and sewed a "D" ring on the other pocket, to store a screw driver or small hammer. I wish I had a picture but couldn't because it was last minute. I had to think back of how to make it but I think it turned out okay; at least my niece liked it.