Slipcover Camera Strap Tutorial

Hello hello! Happy Monday to y'all! Hopefully your weekend was refreshing and the week ahead is full of all things good. I thought we would start out this week with a happy tutorial. I know camera strap tutorials are everywhere, but I thought I'd show you how I made mine. Plus it has two fun little quirks, the first is that you can make it out of a few fat quarters! Woot Woot! And second it's a slipcover so you can switch it out when ever you want or if you're like me and have a man that uses your camera, you can take it off in a flash (pun intended)!

My sister-in-law followed along with this tutorial so I can say it's tried a true! It's written in numbered steps, let me know what you think of it. I'm still trying to figure out my tutorial-writing style.

What you will need:
3 Fat quarters of fabric
2 Buttons
Coordinating thread
Ric-rac

1. Measure the length and width of you camera strap, stopping where the fabric meets the leather. Add an inch to both of these numbers. Example: my strap measured 1 1/4 inches wide by 19 inches long so my fabric measurement was 2 1/4" x 20".
2. Cut your main fabric twice using the above measurement for a total of 2 strips.
3. Fold the short end of the fabric a 1/4 of an inch and fold it over again, encasing the raw edge and stitch. Do this on both ends of both strips.
4. With right sides of the fabric facing each other pin one long side.
5. Sew down the pinned side of the fabric with a 1/4inch seam allowance.
6. Press the seam open.
7. Choose which side will be the back of your camera strap and mark on each end of that side where you want your button hole to be.
8. Using your machine follow the instruction in the manual on how to sew a button hole.
9. Take your seam ripper and cut the fabric in the center of the button hole to open it up.

10. For your first ruffle cut a strip of fabric 2 inches wide and double the length of your measurement in step 1. Example: my measurement was 2" x 40. You'll most likely need to sew two strips together.
11. To sew your strips together, lay the first strip right side up, horizontally in front of you. Lay the second strip right side facing down, vertically, so that it makes a right angle. Sew from the top left corner down to the bottom right hand corner.
12. Snip off the extra fabric, leaving a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
13. Press the seam open.
14. Flip over and snip off any parts of the seam allowance that may be sticking out from the sides
15. I call this a rolled hem, but I don't know if that is correct. With your 1/4inch foot, fold your edge over, press with your fingers and fold again, stitching it down as you go. Do this to all sides, including the sort ends. And for goodness sake, match your thread to your fabric here! I hate that mine has white stitching! It's so distracting!
16. Using a basting stich run down the center of your ruffle fabric. Pull the loose threads from one end to make the fabric begin to ruffle. Stop when the fabric is the same length as your base.
17. Pin the ruffle in place, make sure it's on the opposite side from the button holes.
18. Stitch down the center of the ruffle to lock it in place.

19. For your top and final ruffle cut a piece of fabric 1 inch less wide than your first ruffle. Example: my top ruffle measured 1" x 40". Follow the steps 11-16 to prep it the same way. You'll notice on mine I didn't hem it but instead used pinking shears to give it a textured edge.
20. Pin the ruffle and sew down the center.
21. Cut a length of ric-rac a tad bigger than the width of your base fabric and sew it on, making sure to cover where all the fabrics meet up but not over your button hole. Sew down the center of it.
22. Close the fabric bases back on themselves, make sure the ruffle is tucked in the center. With a 1/4inch seam allowance sew down the length of the base fabric, making a tube.
23. Turn the tube, aka slipcover ;) right side out, press if you need to.
24. Slide the slipcover onto your camera strap and do a little happy dance!
25. Turn the strap over and with a chalk pencil mark where your button needs to be placed on both ends.
26. Slide your slipcover off, sew the buttons where you marked and slide the cover back on.
27. Add an embellishment to the ends with a little hot glue if you like. I kept the bow on for a few weeks, but it felt way too frilly so I pried it off and left just the ric-rac.

Sew a bunch up and switch them out to match the season, your outfit, whatever you like! Happy crafting!

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section or email me directly :)