Things You'll Need
Tape measure
4 square feet of leather
Pencil or pen
3 square feet of graph paper
Saucer or plate
Scissors
Sewing chisel
Needle
3-inch belt buckle
Awl
If you're making a pirate or knight costume, one of the essential fixtures of the outfit is the sword, whether it's a cutlass or a broadsword. These weapons can add another touch of realism to the outfit. To properly wear the sword, you need to have a sword belt. A sword belt is easy to make out of common materials and can be altered to carry more ordinary items.
Step 1
Use the tape measure to measure the length from the top of your shoulder near the inside of your neck on your dominant side to your opposite hip. Draw the rough shape of it on the graph paper using the length you recorded as the main length. At this length, trace out a curve using the saucer or plate and continue drawing until the lines reach to the spot just below your collarbone. Draw a tapered end for the end hanging over your chest. This is going to be the back piece of the sword belt.
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Step 2
Place the graph paper on top of the leather and cut this curved shape. Cut out another straight piece of leather approximately 2 feet long. This will be the front of your sword belt. You have the option of making it slightly narrower than the back, but for your first sword belt, it's best to keep it all one width. Cut this straight piece 1/3 along the length so that it's in two pieces.
Step 3
Stitch the shorter portion to the back piece of the leather belt where it comes over your shoulder. Use the sewing chisel to make holes in the leather, and the needle to run thread through--leather is a tough material. This shorter leather strip should reach from the main portion to just below your ribcage. Stitch the belt buckle to one end of the longer portion.
Step 4
Cut a 3-inch square patch from the remaining leather to make your frog. A frog is a small piece that attaches to the sword belt at hip level to hold the scabbard in place. Set this aside. Loop leather around the scabbard snugly. It should be tight enough to hold the scabbard in place, but not so tight that it can't move at all. You can test it by holding the loop vertically and seeing how gravity acts. Remove the scabbard.
Step 5
Stitch the loop shut while holding it at its proper width and then stitch it to the leather square you cut out earlier. The angle at which you do this varies on personal taste. Stitch the edges of the completed frog to the ends of the belt.
Step 6
Sling the belt over your shoulder and pull it snugly around your chest. Insert the excess leather through the belt buckle and mark the spot where the buckle's needle touches. Take off the belt and gouge a hole with the awl. Make a few more holes at 1/2-inch intervals further down to allow slack. Insert the scabbard tip first through the frog loop. You now have a complete sword belt.
Tip
Belt mounts or decorative stitching with different colors of thread can give your sword belt an even more personal look.
Warning
The awl and needle are sharp. Use caution and common sense when working with sharp objects.
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