Cardboard Belt Instructions

Alrighty, everyone, I, the die-hard rambler, am going to set my commentary aside and actually give you a step-by step, official “how-to” guide! (Pause for collective gasp.) This post will talk you through making a belt with pizazz. I made this belt for Gwenanda in iSundae II, and as a disclaimer, the belt was made before I ever saw Eowyn’s gold belt.
Okay, wise-cracks off and here we go.

Materials needed:

• 2 cereal boxes
• Hot glue gun and sticks (Low and high temp) A small-nozzled gun is recommended.
• Scissors
• Gold craft paint
• Gold-colored wire
• Jewelry chain links. (Small and easy to open.)
• Pencils
• Drawing compass
• Wire cutters and pliers

Step 1

Draw a circle on the cardboard 2″ in diameter, then draw a second one 1/4″ smaller inside the first. Repeat for however many belt links you want. (I used 16.) Cut out the rings you have drawn.

Step 2

Free hand cut, or draw first, four flower petals for each circle and a tiny 1/4″ to 3/8″ rough circle for each flower. (This circle will be hard to see, so don’t worry if it’s not perfect.) Experiment to find the right sized petals.

Step 3

Glue four petals to each tiny circle, then glue the outer ends of the petals to the BACK of each belt link. (If you want to get fancy, you can carefully glue the edges of the flowers to the edge of the ring, but that’s a lot tougher.)

Step 4

(This is where it gets tricky.)

Take your wire and cut enough to go around your cardboard belt link with room to spare. I think mine was between 6″ and 7″ long. Twist ends together to create a circle. Lay on the back of your belt link. Crank the hot glue up to high and glob it on the back leaving a 1/4″ of wire uncovered on two opposite sides. The glue has to hold the wire on so don’t be afraid to coat it. You have to leave gaps open so you can get at them later.

Step 5

Paint fronts and backs gold. I used a fine-point brush and layered paint drops to get a detailed center on the flowers.

Step 6

Once dry. And I mean that. Attach the links to each other, using the little wire circles and jewelry links. To open a metal link, twist the sides, don’t try to force them apart or you’ll weaken the ring.

You can either put the rings directly into the loops, or put multiple rings between each loop. It depends on your belt. I used a Lobster Clasp to fasten my belt.

Whew. (Long breath) That was harder than I thought. This is just a jumping off point. You can design your own belts, obviously. Use silver, gold, copper, bronze, black or whatever you want. And why limit yourself to belts? Keep in mind, hardened hot glue will still soften under a lot of heat and occasionally paint can come off on your actors. Not to mention the rings sometimes come loose. If you make one of these, we’d love to hear about it! (And if you can give me some tips on easier ways to work the wire in the back, that would be wonderful.)