DIY

How to Make a High Waist Belt

posted on October 11, 2013 | by Amanda Holstein

How to Make a High Waist Belt

high_waist_belt

Do you ever come across one of your belts, think it’d be the perfect compliment to your high-waisted skirt, try it on and realize it doesn’t fit across your waist? The worst. I have this perfect brown leather belt from Madewell. It’s the right color, width, and I can’t stop wearing it with jeans and blouses. But when I wanted to pair it with a dress, I realized it didn’t have enough holes to secure it high enough up on my waist.

So instead of buying the same belt in two different sizes, all you have to do to make your belts more versatile is add holes. All you need is my secret weapon: a leather hole punch! You can find them for less than $10, and trust me, they’re worth it! You’ll use them not just on your belts but on your shoes, purses, anything you could add a hole to in order to tighten the fit. It’s pretty amazing. So here’s how to make a high waist belt:

Step 1:

Start by measuring the distance between the belt holes. Measure from the middle of one hole to the middle of another.

belt_diy_step1

Step 2:

Use a marker or pen to mark where you’ll put your new holes. Keep them the same distance apart as the existing ones.

belt_diy_step2

Step 3:

To figure out which size puncher to use, try each one in the existing holes. If it just fits without going all the way through, then that’s the right size. Now place the hole puncher over the dot you drew and use both hands to hold down the puncher really hard, until you hear a click.

belt_diy_step3

Step 4:

Sometimes the hole punch doesn’t quite create a clear cut, so use something like a bobby pin to push the excess leather through the hole.

belt_diy_step4

And voilà! Two belts in one!

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