A camera strap keeps the camera secure while you shoot.
All but the tiniest, pocket-sized cameras need a sturdy neck strap so that the camera can be carried around the neck or shoulder. Smart photographers wrap the neck strap around their wrists so that they won't accidentally drop their expensive cameras while shooting. Plain Jane commercial camera straps are pricey, and attractive, colorful designer straps are even more expensive. If you have good basic sewing skills and access to a sturdy sewing machine, you can make a custom camera strap that's less expensive and reflects your style.
Instructions
1. Top stitch the strip of leather, suede or vinyl, right-side up, onto the length of 1 1/2 inch wide nylon webbing. Line up the edge of the sewing machine foot with the edge of the stacked strips and stitch down both long sides of the strips and through both layers to create a lined webbing strap.
2. Cut the narrower webbing in half lengthwise with sharp scissors.
3. Melt each end of the narrower webbing by running it through the flame of a match. Douse the flame and cool the melted edge of the webbing by pressing it into the damp sponge. The melted ends will prevent fraying.
4. Cut 4 squares, each 1 1/2 inch square, from the leather.
5. Tack-stitch one 3/8 inch webbing strap to the non-webbing side of the lined webbing strap: Overlap the narrower webbing end over the last 1/2 inch of the strap and center it before you tack-stitch it in place. Repeat with the other 3/8 inch webbing strap on the non-webbing side of the opposite end of the backed webbing strap.
6. Sandwich the end of the strap between two of the small cut squares of leather. Cover the tacked end of the 3/8 inch strap and match up the edges of both squares so that the sides are even with the sides of the strap. The ends of the leather should extend slightly less than 1 inch beyond the end of the strap.
7. Stitch a rectangular top-stitch across the bottom of the lined webbing strap, stitching through both layers of leather and the lined webbing strap. Catch the enclosed, tack-stitched end of the 3/8 inch webbing strap at one side of the rectangle and stitch back across the 3/8 inch webbing strap on the other. Stitch a squat "x" across the center of the rectangle, beginning at the last corner of the rectangle. This will securely attach the two webbing straps together. Repeat on the opposite end of the lined webbing strap.
8. Miter cut the unstitched ends of the leather so that they taper down from the width of the lined webbing strap to the width of the 3/8 inch strap. Cut the leather with sharp scissors and cut the tapers symmetrically on both sides of the 3/8 inch strap. Repeat on the opposite end of the lined webbing strap.
9. Top-stitch the triangular shaped leather tapers together, sandwiching and stitching the 3/8 inch webbing strap in place as you sew.
10. Thread a nylon slide adjuster onto the 3/8 inch strap, then follow with a nylon slide. Insert the end of the 3/8 inch strap through a camera eyelet, then back under the narrow strap and through the slide, and then through the slide adjuster. Repeat, attaching the other end of the strap to the remaining camera eyelet.
11. Adjust the camera strap length using the slide adjuster and adjust the slide to hold down the excess length of the narrow webbing.
Tags: webbing strap, lined webbing, lined webbing strap, inch strap, inch webbing, inch webbing strap, narrower webbing