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Step 6Stitch on the bike-chain bits.
This belt was originally made using strips of innertube rubber for the stitching. To use that method, slice two ~3' x 1/8" strips from another innertube and substitute that for the elastic cord in these instructions. Be aware that it's likely to wear out a good deal faster.
When repairing my belt, I pulled out the broken pieces of the rubber strips and replaced it with bright-blue elastic cord. I improvised a "needle" by attaching a short bit of twisted wire to the end of the cord. To start stitching, tie a knot in one end of the cord and pull it through the first hole in the belt-rubber such that the knot stays on the back side of the belt. Then thread it through the first hole in your figure-8 chain bit, through the second hole on the chain bit, and through the second hole in the belt-rubber. Repeat for all of the chain bits in that row of the pattern you've designed.
For each row, I started out leaving the stitching a little loose, with an extra length of elastic cord after the last hole. After finishing the stitching on both rows, I went back through and tightened it down, making sure that the cord lay as flat as possible without bunching up the belt-rubber. Once the stitching is adjusted, I pulled the unknotted end through a little bit (just enough to tie the knot in the right place, so the knot holds the cord without causing the belt to bunch up) and tied a tight knot. Repeat that to tie off your other rows / cords.
Finally, my belt has a couple of large stitches closing the tube at the tail end of the belt. You could do this with a short length of the cut-rubber strip, a bit of elastic cord, or you could stitch it down with a needle & thread.
When repairing my belt, I pulled out the broken pieces of the rubber strips and replaced it with bright-blue elastic cord. I improvised a "needle" by attaching a short bit of twisted wire to the end of the cord. To start stitching, tie a knot in one end of the cord and pull it through the first hole in the belt-rubber such that the knot stays on the back side of the belt. Then thread it through the first hole in your figure-8 chain bit, through the second hole on the chain bit, and through the second hole in the belt-rubber. Repeat for all of the chain bits in that row of the pattern you've designed.
For each row, I started out leaving the stitching a little loose, with an extra length of elastic cord after the last hole. After finishing the stitching on both rows, I went back through and tightened it down, making sure that the cord lay as flat as possible without bunching up the belt-rubber. Once the stitching is adjusted, I pulled the unknotted end through a little bit (just enough to tie the knot in the right place, so the knot holds the cord without causing the belt to bunch up) and tied a tight knot. Repeat that to tie off your other rows / cords.
Finally, my belt has a couple of large stitches closing the tube at the tail end of the belt. You could do this with a short length of the cut-rubber strip, a bit of elastic cord, or you could stitch it down with a needle & thread.
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