the inner life of lady fitz

My new dress-from-dress came with its own belt. I didn’t want to lose the belt, so I added some belt loops which are super easy to make.

All you need is crochet thread or embroidery thread in a color that matches your dress, a sewing needle with an eye big enough for the thread and a crochet hook. (Though you can also do the crochet on your fingers if you have no hook.)

Start the crochet with a long thread tail several inches long. That’ll anchor the loop to the garment.

Crochet, counting the stitches, until you have a length that’s double the width of the belt, plus two stitches. Mine needed 32.

(If you’re using your fingers, make a slip stitch, leaving a long tail of thread. Stick your index finger in the loop at the first knuckle joint.

Loop the thread over your finger and wrap the loop over the thread.

Tug on the loop until the stitch tightens.

Repeat until the crochet’s long enough.)

Leaving another long thread tail, cut the thread. Pull the tail through the last loop to secure the stitches.

If you want loops on both sides, make another one the same way.

Now thread the big needle with one of the tails.

Then you sew the loop in. Some people anchor the top and then the bottom. I like the kind where the loop hangs down. So I poke the needle through from the right side and pull one tail through, and then do the same with the other end.

Even better if you can catch the seam allowance.

I knot them tightly on the back and voila!

That’s it.

Then, should the belt get lost or something, the crocheted loop will cut out easily without harming the dress.