Tutorial - Camera Strap Cover - Revamp an Old Camera Strap Using Thrifted Upholstery Samples and Embroidery

You may or may not know that I hold two University degrees in photography (one as the major and the other as a minor to studio art). I am an artist, crafter, writer, and all around creative, but I usually say I am a photographer first when I am asked what I "do". Six months after I had my first child we moved across the country for my husband's job and I pretty much gave up my commercial photography business. I specialized in shooting black and white film images at the homes of my clients. I shot enough sessions that I would burn out motors and shutters so I would buy "new" used bodies for back ups. Last month, I started going through all of my analog camera equipment. I have 7 SLR bodies, from good working order to parts cameras, that I needed to test. I have gotten through 5 of them, with some of the results here. I love and miss shooting film and now that I know which cameras to keep, I will probably be doing more of it...

This brings me to the project. In the course of going through all my gear, I decided it was time to make my camera straps pretty. My recent sewing class has inspired me to find new sewing projects and a wide, boring, black neoprene camera strap volunteered to undergo a make over. This project can be adapted to your vision. The sky is really the limit on fabric and embellishments. You can even hand sew this project entirely if you don't have a sewing machine. If you don't have a camera strap you can find many boring and suitable candidates at the thrift store. I will walk you through a few simple steps and then off you go...

How-to Cover a Boring Camera Strap to Make it Pretty...

What you need...

- Wide camera strap
- Fabric, I used upholstery samples
- Sewing Machine and thread (or needle & thread to hand sew)
- Items for embellishment like buttons & embroidery thread


1) Using your camera strap to measure against, decide where to cut your fabric. My piece had some grommets I cut off. Here you can see I pinned the fabric up against the edge of the strap. You will need to make a tube around your strap that fits snugly. I think I only had about 1/2" of fabric beyond my strap on each side (so cut fabric 1" wider than strap).


2) If the ends of your fabric are not finished, finish them now. My sample had finished ends which I just turned under when I put my cover on. It was too short, however, to be used as one piece, so I did sew two pieces if it together. I didn't bother to line up the pattern because I knew I would embellish one end... I sewed the buttons where my obvious seam from joining the two pieces is.


3) You can embellish the top front side of your fabric (the part you will be able to see) now or at the end. I actually did all of my embellishing at the end, when my cover was already on, using a curved tapestry needle. I would suggest doing the embellishing before if you want to remove the strap (since I may have sewn through parts of the strap). I just embellished one end. I did it on the end because I knew that part would show while wearing my camera. If your hair is short you could embellish the whole strap, since it won't be hidden under your hair. I cut a flower and paisley from my fabric and appliqued them on, using embroidery thread.


4) Put wrong sides of fabric together, pin, and sew, using a straight stitch, reinforcing each end by front and back stitching. I used a 1/4" seam allowance. Turn your tube right side out.


5) Slide your cover onto your strap. If you already embellished, you are now done, If not, go ahead and do it now.


Voila! Now go, shoot something, and wear your camera with pride...

Happy Go Lucky - The Movie

Tonight I saw a really fun AND funny film. The Banff Centre has partnered with the local movie theatre, Lux Cinema, to show independent Canadian or foreign films on the first Monday of the next four months. I LOVE going to the movies. Movie theatre popcorn would have to be my biggest vice. And going to the theatre is a real treat because it forces me to watch the movie, something I never really end up doing when we rent movies at home, because there are so many other things I can do. You may have guessed I have trouble sitting still... We are pretty good about going out to the movies in the off season, sometimes every week. What I mean by the "off season" is spring, summer, or fall, as my husband manages a ski resort. And since it is winter, my goal would just be for us to make it once a month to these movies. I am a big fan of both independent and foreign films. When we lived in Quebec, outside of Ottawa, I would go to the Bytowne Theatre, as often as I could. They are an independent movie theatre that plays documentaries, art films, independent films, foreign films, classic films, lots and lots of good stuff. So tonight I felt like I was in a smaller Bytowne yet surrounded by friends and neighbors.

The film we saw was Happy Go Lucky, which without going into it too much, is a British film about a free spirited school teacher named Poppy. Poppy's enthusiasm for life and her infectious smile are contagious. Yet, as in real life, there were dark moments in this film. The premise of the film is to highlight the importance of laughter in our lives. I saw many people I know in my life this film. I am sure I will be thinking about it a lot in the week to come. Happy Go Lucky is directed by Academy Award Nominee Mike Leigh. Sally Hawkins, who plays Poppy, is a Golden Globe Nominee for Best Actress in this film and this film is nominated for best picture. It came out on DVD in England in August, so it may be out here within a couple months. If you would like to laugh out loud through an entire movie, this is the one to see.

PS, I absolutely am going to make the wall map in the photo above, if I can find a wall in my house to put it on...

Dark Knight

Andre and I went to see "Dark Knight" the newest Batman movie last night and all I can say is that maybe Heath Ledger went mad while making that movie. He is so good, so diabolical... how do actors keep themselves from getting to close to the character they are portraying? The mind is a crazy thing... Anyway, I had thought that maybe all the hype about Ledger giving an award winning performance as just that, hype, but it is not. I am going to have nightmares about the Joker... RIP Heath.

Too Much Popcorn...

Urgh, I am ILL! Too much nasty movie theater popcorn. It used to be my favorite snack, I would get huge cravings for it, but after tonight I think I may be off the stuff. Went to see Juno, which was really good. Very real. It didn't glamorize teen pregnancy but instead showed a smart girl, and a sweet guy, a dad and stepmom who were unconditionally loving, and the realities of life, both good and bad, that we are confronted with each day, whether being a teen who is pregnant or not. Plus it was based in my home area of Minneapolis, or just outside of it. I didn't know that when I went to see it, but they started mentioning Stillwater, Mankato, St. Cloud, and then Ridgedale Mall which was the closest mall to me the who time I was growing up! The lead actress who played Juno is really cute and funny, and I have always loved the guy who played her boyfriend, from Arrested Development.

So, I was going to talk about all the recent opportunities. I will do my best here, but really should go to bed because I feel sick.

One, is that Shady Lanes, who curated the Gimme Polaroid V show in San Francisco. emailed to say it wasa a great success and that she is going to be making a book from the show! I am getting the hi res images together to send her, and she mentioned something about including additional images that may not have been in the show, so I may have more (or less) than my 5 original images. I am waiting to hear back from her about whether any of my pieces sold. She has images from the opening in Flickr.

I received an email from Tracy Midulla Reller, the curator of [5]Art, in West Tampa, Florida. The 5 Polaroids that I sent as a submission for the Instant Gratification Polaroid Installation were accepted! Now I just wish I could go to the opening. I believe I sent Ferntebrae 1 & 2, Pink, Bound 1, & one of my papaya images... The are "straight" Polaroids, not transfers. The show opens on February 8th.

Things have been rockin' on both Trunkt & Etsy!

I added about 12 new images to my Trunkt portfolio and it continues to be one of the most popular in photography category :) They have added some new changes that I need time to check out. One is that I can make an ad for galleries, wholesalers, licensers, which is awesome! I really love Trunkt and feel I have received great exposure and results from having my portfolio with them.

On Etsy I have been on two front page treasuries within 48 hours. And Anda from admin put me in an Etsy Picks treasury that highlights a new feature called Suggestions. This is the image that was used:



And there is a lot going on in the Poe forums. There is a great group of photographers in this group. So talented and committed to promoting photograph on Etsy. It does some to be having an impact on both the number of treasuries featuring photography and the number sales people are having. Here are my two latest sales:





In addition to that street team I have joined the Free Thinkers, "a group of Artists, Craftsmen, and Designers who feel that we should live and let live. We are Atheists, Agnostics, Christians, Jews, and Buddhists who try to be respectful of the religious, political and philosophical beliefs of other people: we don't try to change anyone's mind and we try not to be judgmental. We believe in peace, laughter, and giving a helping hand when and where we can."

AND a new group started up on Facebook called Interior Design Etsy, lead by Kristina Law. It is currently an open group that will eventually be closed. "The purpose of this group is to network among fellow Etsy Members and/or Artists that offer things that apply to Interior Design, Home Decore and related topics. It is required that you have an etsy shop and you sell things that fall into Interior Design/Home Decor/Art/Furniture/Housewares etc. category."

There is more to share but it can wait for tomorrow. Here is my newest image, I LOVE it! I shot it in Vermont, at Jay Peak, back in 2001 but never made it into a transfer until this week. I hope to start showcasing the talents of others here soon...