How To Make A Camera Strap

Surprise your favorite shutterbug with a custom fabric photographic camera strap.

Finished colorful fabric DIY camera strap attached to vintage camera — Photograph by: Erik Valind

This photographic camera strap makes the ultimate lensman gift—and making it is easier than you call back.

Every family and friend grouping has its resident shutterbug: a designated or cocky-appointed someone who shows upwards to every backyard barbecue with their camera in tow and spends much of the day stealthily shooting away. For a foolproof photographer gift to help bear witness your appreciation for the priceless memories they capture, consider a fashionable camera strap to keep their most prized possession safe and secure—and within arm's reach.

Store more than photographer gifts

There are tons of great options available on Etsy of course, only if yous're up for a simple easily-on project, y'all tin create a DIY camera strap at abode in a snap. Using a length of vintage-mode trim, a couple scraps of durable leather, and a few hardware pieces to hold it all together, we'll evidence you how information technology'south washed.

DIY camera strap at a glance

Time: two hours

Difficulty:Intermediate

Supplies to make a DIY camera strap for a great photographer gift

DIY camera strap supplies

3-inch-wide fabric trim (at least ane 1/two yards)
tape measure
steel shears
2 hinge clasps with D-rings
sewing needle
thread
scrap leather in color of your choice
pen
cutting mat
contumely mallet
leather hole punch
6 rivets
rivet setter

Step 1: Decide length of strap

Hands cutting fabric trim with steel shears at desired length

Drape the fabric trim around your neck to determine how long yous want to make your strap. Add 4 inches to this length and cut.

Step 2: Slide trim through swivel clasp

Folded end of trim is slid through swivel clasp

Have i terminate of your length of trim and fold the corners in, toward the centre. Slide the folded end through one of the hinge clasps and so about 2 inches of trim are poking out.

Step three: Run up end in place

The short end of the trim that's through the swivel clasp is folded over and basted onto the backside of the strap near the edge

Fold the short end of the trim onto the behind of the strap and drip run up near the edge to secure it in place. Repeat all three steps for the other end of the strap and set it aside.

Step iv: Cut leather strip

Steel shears cut rectangular strip of leather

Cut a rectangular strip of leather that's almost 3 inches long and 1/2 inch narrower than the width of your trim.

Stride five: Measure out and trim leather to size

A pen marks the width of the D-ring on both sides of the folded leather strip

Fold the piece of leather in one-half. Centre your second hinge squeeze higher up the folded edge and employ a pen to mark the width of the D-ring on both sides of the leather fold.

Steel shears trim leather along an angled line from one bottom corner of the strip to the pen mark at the top

Edges of leather strip are rounded using steel shears

Keeping the leather folded, cut an angled line from one bottom corner of the strip to the pen mark you lot made on the nearest folded edge. Repeat on the other side, and so use pair of scissors to round the outer edges.

Stride 6: Trace and repeat

A pen traces the cut leather shape onto a second piece of leather

Trace the cutting leather shape onto a second piece of leather and cutting an identical piece for the other side of your camera strap.

Stride 7: Add together leather to trim

Cut leather piece slides through the D-ring over the fabric trim

Grab your strap and, property i of the sewn ends, slide one of the cutting leather pieces through the D-ring and fold it over the trim.

Step eight: Punch holes for rivets

A mallet and leather hole punch are used to punch three holes through all the layers of the folded leather and trim near each end of the strap

Use the mallet and leather hole punch to punch three holes through all the layers of the folded leather and trim near each stop of the strap: one in the eye near the D-band, and one most each bottom corner.

Step 9: Set rivets and repeat

For the final step in this DIY camera strap, rivets are set in each of the three holes using a mallet and rivet setter

For the final step in this DIY camera strap, position a rivet in each hole and utilise the mallet and rivet setter to set. Behold: the most beautiful photographer gift in boondocks!