About

Cost
$ $ $ $ $
Difficulty
• • • • •
Time
1h00

How To Make a Knotted Cord Belt
Summer is almost upon is, and style inspired by the African continent is in! Bold prints, bright colors, beads, and lacing: we're seeing it on the runways and on fashionable girls on the street. Create this knotted belt out of satin cord and add jewelry findings for a fashion-forward Moroccan infusion of style! (The lacing may look tricky, but once you get the hang of that, it's a piece of cake!)

Posted by carlyjcais from Portland, Oregon, United States • Published See carlyjcais's 60 projects »
PrintEmbed
  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 1
    Step 1

    Cut satin cord into the following pieces:
    *FOUR pieces 14" long (to make outer loop)
    *FOUR pieces 18" long (to make center knot)

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 2
    Step 2

    Use pliers to press down the end coils of the crimp ends. Cut off the hangloops of the end connectors.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 3
    Step 3

    Cut 4 pieces from your fabric, measuring 4.25" wide by 3" high. Start Weaving: Outer Loop First

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 4
    Step 4

    Thread 2 crimp ends onto a 14" piece of cord. Loop it over and tape down the ends.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 5
    Step 5

    Tape down another 14" piece of cord. Thread it through the crimp coil from the previous piece of cord...and add a crimp coil onto the cord.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 6
    Step 6

    Add another crimp coil, and loop it around.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 7
    Step 7

    Thread it back through the remaining crimp coil on the first cord. Tape down the end.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 8
    Step 8

    Secure the loop you just made with a piece of tape.
    Keep Going: Inner Loop-and-Knot

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 9
    Step 9

    Put a crimp coil on one of the 18" cord pieces and tape down the end, placing it in the center and directly below the cord from the previous step.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 10
    Step 10

    Thread it through the crimp coil on the adjacent cord and loop it around to the right, then back under the first two cords, headcing downwards.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 11
    Step 11

    Thread it over itself, then downwards under the first two cords again.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 12
    Step 12

    Loop it to the right, back over the first two cords, and then to the left under itself again.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 13
    Step 13

    Thread it back through the crimp coil on the adjacent cord.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 14
    Step 14

    Add another crimp coil, and tack down the end with tape.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 15
    Step 15

    Time for the final cord! Tape down the end of another 18" piece of cord, and thread it to the right and through thr crimp coil on the adjacent cord.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 16
    Step 16

    Add a crimp coil, and weave the cord around the center loop in the same manner as the previous piece. (It will be to the outside of the previous cord. Go under the previous piece, to the right, over the taped-down outer loop, up and around, under the outer loop cords, over the center loop cords and down...)

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 17
    Step 17

    Keep following the center loop of the previous cord. (Around and to the right, over the taped-down center loop, back to the left, under itself...) And finally, thread it back into the crimp coil you added to it in Step 15).

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 18
    Step 18

    Then tape its end down.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 19
    Step 19

    Shift the ends of all your cords together, re-tape, and push the crimp coils further to the right, closer to your center loop-and-knot.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 20
    Step 20

    Use pliers to add an end connector to the center cords just to the left of the taped-down loop. Smooth out your cords - and congratulate yourself on a job well done!
    Other Side & Finish Lacing

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 21
    Step 21

    Make one more group of looped cords in exactly the same manner. (See Steps 4) - 20)]

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 22
    Step 22

    Place the two groups of cord side-by-side, matching up the centers. Add 2 more end connectors to the center loops to connect one side to the other. Now you're finished with all that lacing - which probably feels fabulous!
    Make the Belt

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 23
    Step 23

    Tape both ends of the cord group on top of the ends of your piece of elastic. Make sure your cords are centered and each side overlaps the elastic the same amount.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 24
    Step 24

    Fold the elastic under itself, about 3/8", and stitch the cords down on top. (I went over the same area twice with a straight stitch, then zigzagged down it for strength.) Stitch down both sides to the elastic.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 25
    Step 25

    Trim off the cord ends on the other side of your stitching.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 26
    Step 26

    Cut your elastic piece in half.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 27
    Step 27

    Place 2 fabric pieces right sides together, on top of where you've stitched the cords to the elastic. Trace the width of the elastic, and mark the width of the cords. Then draw a "D" shape between the elastic piece, about 2" long.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 28
    Step 28

    Do the same for the other 2 pieces of fabric.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 29
    Step 29

    Sew around the "D" on each pair of fabric pieces, just outside you markings. Leave a small area unsewn on the flat side in order to turn them right-side-out.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 30
    Step 30

    Trim fabric around the sewing at about 1/4".

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 31
    Step 31

    Notch, then turn the pieces right side out. Tuck the unsewn areas' raw edges to the inside. Press both pieces with an iron to flatten.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 32
    Step 32

    Place one D piece over where the cords are sewn to the elastic, in order to cover them. (Rounded edge of D needs to cover the cords but hang off the edge of the elastic.) Topstitch around edge of D, about 1/8" from edge, to secure it to the elastic and the cords.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 33
    Step 33

    Try on belt, and center the knotted cord at your center front. Mark where the elastic meets at your center back. Cut elastic at that measurement.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 34
    Step 34

    Fold each end of elastic under about 3/4". Sew down about 1/2" from edge.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 35
    Step 35

    Set two sets of snaps in the elastic ends according to the instructions on your snap-setting pliers or die set.

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 36
    Step 36

    Ta da! This tutorial looks complex, but doing it is incredibly rewarding - and the whole process is a lot faster than it looks! Tip: If you want to make more of a statement piece, use thicker cord or rope, and thread it through large-hole beads instead of jewelry findings. You could even wrap strips of embossing metal around the cords instead of threading them through beads at all!

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 37
    Step 37

    Have fun and go tribal:-)

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 38
    Step 38

    It also doubles as a cute necklace at this size!

  • How to make a belt. Knotted Cord Belt - Step 39
    Step 39

    And check out my blog Chic Steals for more DIY tutorials and belt-making projects! Thanks for reading - and if you have any questions, ask them in the Comments section below and I'll do my best to help you out:-)
    xoxox
    Carly J. Cais

Made this project? Share your version »

Comments

carlyjcais
carlyjcais · Portland, Oregon, US · 61 projects
Thanks sofia d. Appreciate the feedback!
xoxox
Carly
Reply
sofia d.
sofia d. · 8 projects
amazingggg!!!!!!
Reply
carlyjcais
carlyjcais · Portland, Oregon, US · 61 projects
Yes, I am one and the same! Thanks for the comment about my button shirt - that was a fun project!
xoxox
Carly
Reply
M4ri
M4ri · Seattle, Washington, US · 16 projects
oh that's u? sweet! i really liked that shirt u made with the eyes on it made outta buttons.
Reply
carlyjcais
carlyjcais · Portland, Oregon, US · 61 projects
That is correct M4ri - I write for the Threadbanger blog for How-To Tuesdays. Since it is my original tutorial, I decided to cross-post it to Cut Out and Keep and share it with the crafters here as well!

Carly
Reply
M4ri
M4ri · Seattle, Washington, US · 16 projects
this is from thread banger.
Reply

More Projects