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You can download this complete guide as a PDF file (12 pages, with
illustrations) here [330kB]
Making a money belt - the bare-bones design
(The sizes shown make a belt that
will hold an EU or US size passport, credit card and about 15 normal size
travellers' cheques without stubs)
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Making your own money belt is
easy. If you make this belt as
suggested, the costs should be less than half that of a
commercial belt and - provided you sew carefully - it will last 2-5 times as
long. If you are experienced in using a machine you can make it in about an
hour. By hand it will take you quite a bit longer (four hours or more) because
stitching in confined places around the zip is tricky.
When you are travelling, the belt is worn under your clothes, and comfort is
obviously a major issue. Some of the belts in stores have nasty, sweat-inducing
plastic materials in them and badly finished seams that will scratch and
irritate you. The beauty of making your own belt is that you can choose friendly
materials and fine-tune (if you like) the article to be as comfortable and
utilitarian as possible. I've made five belts to this base pattern and have been
happy with each. It shouldn't take you long to
discover what's right for you, but this bare-bones design
is the best place to start. You can add embellishments to the pattern once you
get the feel of the finished item or, if you're an experienced seamster(ess),
modify it before you begin.
Pictured under is the current model of the belt design I use, a compact version
which takes the EU standard passport and features two, popper-closed pouches to enable quick access to higher value local currency notes.
It's not the belt you will make if you follow this pattern - those pouches on
the front are extra, and you'll need more than beginners' stitching skills to
get them right. I made the belt in Taslan-finish Gore-Tex, and all of the other
construction follows the pattern described here. If the belt
looks a bit battered in the photo that's because it is - it's been with me for
eight trips lasting a total of two years! Aside from a little beeswax on the
zip, it has distinguished itself by being almost ignored during two-day train
rides, spells on the beach, sweaty nights in cheap hotels where I wore it to bed
because the rooms' security seemed suspect, and trekking trips to the Everest
region...
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Material and accessories - What you will need
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Base material 22cm x 21cm, plus a
few scraps for testing thread tensions and masking the ends of the zip. Use whatever
material you like, but bear in mind that thick stuff like denim is tougher to
sew, and that thin materials quickly distort with normal wear and tear. Cotton
is more skin-friendly, but has to be washed regularly - remember to take
your passport out first - so it doesn't become stiff and uncomfortable. If you can get
it, I recommend a Taslan finish, medium-weight breathable nylon, such as
Gore-Tex.
Then you won't need to wrap your things in plastic inside the belt to keep them from getting
drenched by sweat. As an added advantage, Gore-Tex material won't fray when you sew it with simple seams as
this pattern suggests (you may have to "bind" seams if you use a woven cotton
fabric, for instance). This fabric size will allow you to fit one EU-sized
passport, a few credit cards and some cash or Travellers' Cheques into the
belt. If you plan to take something more, or use a larger passport, change
the sizes to suit;
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One 20mm Ladderloc buckle (this is
the type with three or four bars, usually made of black plastic);
 ladderloc
buckle
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1.5m of 20mm wide webbing in your
choice of colour (I prefer nylon, as it won't stiffen with sweat, use 25 mm
width if you like - it's more comfortable but bulkier. Obviously if you choose a
different width of webbing get a matching size for the ladderloc buckle);
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21cm long coil zip, closed end,
with slider (there's no need to buy a heavy-duty zip - a normal
6mm zip is fine and if you buy one "off the roll" you can get
the length just right - otherwise buy a longer zip and cut it to
size. Nylon zips wear OK, a jeans zip in metal may have a longer life, but it
has a tendency to jam if you use a stretchy material for the pouch);
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Strong polyester thread in the colour you
choose;
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Machine needles suitable for your material
thickness;
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A zip foot for your sewing machine;
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A cigarette lighter or candle
flame;
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A few pins.
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Try your local haberdashery store for the bits, or
if you live in Europe, visit
Pennine
Outdoor or
Point North where you can browse online a large range of DIY
sewing accessories and specialised waterproof materials. There are probably
online materials suppliers in the US and Oz as well.
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(construction of your belt) >>
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