Camera Strap Cover with Pockets Tutorial

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:

• Scrap fabric at least 70 inches long
• 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.

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.