I wanted to personalize my camera and take care of a problem I often had when taking pictures – no pocket to put the lens cap. I had some scrap fabric leftover with the ever so popular Apples and Pears fabric. I was figuring this out myself, so it took me a couple tries. Luckily it was with scrap fabrics. Anyway, here I go with another tutorial. If you make something using this tutorial, please upload pictures of it in our Flickr group to show it off to everyone. You may be featured on Simply Modern Mom.
Supplies:
- 1/2 yard of fabric
- matching thread
- your camera strap for measurements
1. Grab some scrap fabric. It’s fun to mix and match for the pockets or the inside of the strap.
2. Measure your camera strap. Different brands have different sizes. And I think the newer straps are longer. My strap was 1 1/2″ wide and 27″ long. If you have a different size strap, you’ll have to adjust the measurements below accordingly.
3. Draw your pattern. The dotted line is the fold at the halfway point for the strap. Please note that the pattern below is not actual size. You will need to draw your own with those measurements if you have the same size strap (1 1/2″ x 27″) and same size lens cover (2 1/4″ diameter). Also, this strap cover is wider than the actual width of the strap to fit the pockets.
*Note: The 28 3/4 inch below in the pattern is the total length of the strap (including seam allowance). Half of that is 14 3/8 inches for the pattern with the fold.
4. Trace the pattern on to the back of your fabric and cut out. Make sure you have two strap pieces.
5. Put the two strap pieces together with the right sides facing each other. At the middle crease of the pieces, draw a line 2 1/2″ long and 3/8″ in from the bottom edge. Make two 3/8″ cuts, one on each end of the 2 1/2″ line. That’s for the opening to put the strap through.
6. Iron the small flap that you just cut, the tips on both strap pieces, and the top and bottom seams of the pocket, all 3/8″. I wanted two pockets for my strap to carry the lens cap and memory cards. Plus, I’m right handed and my husband is left handed. With a pocket on each side, it provides easy access for right handed and left handed persons.
7. Sew the tips and the flaps down on both strap pieces. I sewed at about 1/4″ from the edge.
8. Sew just the top seam of the pocket for now. Then place the pockets where you want them on the strap. I like it closer to the end of the strap. You may want to try the strap around your neck to get a feel for where would be a comfortable place for the pocket. Pin the bottom of the pocket to the strap. If you are only doing one pocket, decide whether you want it on the left or right end of the strap. Then sew the bottom of pocket to strap piece. Make sure it’s the piece you want as the outer side of the strap. And the pocket piece should flap open at the top because only the bottom is sewn down.
9. Once the pocket is on, put the two strap pieces together again with the right sides facing each other. Make sure your openings at the bottom of the strap pieces match up and the pockets are flat. Sew a 3/8″ seam all the way around the strap, but not the end tips (where the camera strap comes out) and the opening (where you put the strap in).
10. Flip the strap right side out through the bottom opening. And iron flat. I ironed the seams open before flipping it right side out then iron again on the outside to make it a cleaner iron.
11. Pin the beginning and end of the opening where you put the strap into the cover so you don’t sew it close by accident.
12. Sew a straight line all the way around the strap except the tips and opening.
13. Put your strap in the cover through the opening at the bottom. You can also hand stitch or sew the opening close if desired. Or leave it open to make it easy to change covers or take off to wash.
Thanks for the tute, I made a cover for my strap based on your directions and I love it!
http://monsterknit.blogspot.com/2009/09/spring-sewing.html
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SUPER cute! A sewing machine is on my Christmas List (even though I don’t yet know how to sew!) so I’ll have to mark this as a favorite for future projects!
This is the best tutorial i have seen yet. I love the idea for the lens cover pocket. I have been wanting to make a srap cover for my camera for a while. thanks for taking the time toput a tutorial totgether.
OMG – thank you so much! I just bought one of these off of etsy for my sister’s birthday. Now I can make one for ME!
XOXO
Jen
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Love this project! I made this as my very first solo project with my new sewing machine that I just got for Christmas!
http://ourhomegrownkids.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/sewing-project-2-camera-strap-cover/
your straps turned out so great! love it! thanks for posting the link so i can check it out.
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This is such a great idea! I can’t wait to make one so I have a place to store my lens cover. I just featured this project on my blog. Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Fantastic idea!! I found you via Creations by Kara and have filed your tutorial at thecraftersfilebox.com.
Thanks sooooo much for sharing! I look forward to never losing a lense cap again!!
Awesome idea. I usually have pockets on my pants or if not I stick the lens cap in my bra!! But this would work just great so people will not wonder why I am digging in my bra!
You are so funny, Pam! I haven’t tried the stick-in-my-bra trick yet. I would love to see a picture of your finished strap cover.
I soooo need that camera strap. I am forever loosing my lens cap. Not very professional, I know. Thanks for the tutorial!
I love the strap and tutorial and plan to make at least one for myself. I have done the lens strap in the bra trick, too.
Sorry, I mean lens cover not lens strap.
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I just made my strap and it was the first project I have done since 8th grade. Thank you for sharing. Here it is if you want to see it
http://365of30.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-first-sewing-project.html
that looks so fabulous! i love it. thanks for leaving the link.
looks like a GREAT idea, and I really want to try this, only my lens cap is a lot wider then my strap… should I make the strap cover wider then the strap itself?
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I was wondering if you’ve ever made a wallet with really cute fabric. If you have can you post a tutorial i would really like to see what you come up with, i’m not as creative
Adorable. I’ve been seeing these on Etsy, but have sooo much fabric on hand that it makes more sense to make one myself. Once we have some crummy weather I want to stay inside and make this!
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WOW! I LOVE LOVE this!! I need one!
Eventually I’ll learn to sew so I can make one of these and a ‘slip cover’ for my camera bag to match so it looks a little less like a camera bag!
GREAT idea for the lens holder!!
oh and, btw, I’m usually not a capslock user… I’m just THAT excited!!
Thanks for this! I love tutorials that have lots of pics – helps me understand exactly what I should be seeing! I made one today and posed some pics – http://www.flickr.com/photos/my_chell/5091033017/
I am wanting to make this soooo bad but I am so confused! The little drawing of the pattern shows the length to be cut at 28 and 3/4 with it ending on the fold….wouldn’t that have the completed strap 56 inches long??!! It was stated that the strap was 27 inches long. Ok maybe i’m seeing this now, lol, I just had to type it out! So, the pattern will be a little over 14 inches long?