Making a Uke Strap

Jerryc41

Jerryc41

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
10,278
Reaction score
3,210
Location
Catskill Mountains, NY
I am not sure what makes a "traditional" uke strap, but I have made few uke straps.

I didn't take apart any existing straps, but used a worn out belt and some stuff from a fabric shop. Not as neat as those you link too, but more narrow and uke-sized.

I will post some pictures soon.
 
Sewing parallel straight lines is not as easy as it looks.
 
So, here is a picture.
DSC_0838.jpg

The strap itself is made from a decorative fabric band, I am not sure what to call it, sewn onto a thick black fabric band. Both stuff available in the fabric shop i went to.
The piece to attach it to the uke is a little part of an old belt. I use the hole maker you also use to make extra holdes in belts to punch holdes in the leather, then connect them with a Stanley knife to make the holdes for the button and strap.
I used a large coin as a template to xutvthe round end on the leather with a Stanley knife.

Edit: A picture of the brass buckle i got from a leather craft shop. Beware that metal might damage your ukulele. But it looks a bit folky.
DSC_0840.jpg
 
Last edited:
If you’re a sewist you should do fine. I’d suggested a good interfacing between layers for stability. ( art-ist, sew-ist )
 
UkingViking said:
I am not sure what makes a "traditional" uke strap, but I have made few uke straps.
Click to expand...
I wonder too. I mean, I don't think that I've seen an old vintage picture of someone playing a ukulele with a strap. What defines a "traditional" strap?
 
I've been doing this for years. My preferred strap is a 1.5" wide cotton, as it gives a bit of stretch, and also has enough friction to keep the uke from sliding around. But as these are sometimes hard to find, I just purchase the cheap nylon versions, and replace the nylon with 1.5" cotton webbing that I buy by the foot online. My most recent was for a Klos uke, as I felt it just HAD to have nice black strap to go with the carbon fiber.
 
UkingViking said:
I am not sure what makes a "traditional" uke strap...
Click to expand...

Attached to both ends of the uke - bout and heel/headstock. No wraparounds or sound hole straps. Just a standard strap.

I ordered the fabric, so I'll see how they turn out.
 
Last edited:
Jerryc41 said:
Nothing is as easy as it looks, but I'm not going into business with these. ;)

Actually, sewing squiggly lines might solve that problem.
Click to expand...


Here, I speak from years of experience making my kids' Halloween costumes. Even squiggly lines aren't that easy if you want them to go a certain (general) direction : )
 
clear said:
Here, I speak from years of experience making my kids' Halloween costumes. Even squiggly lines aren't that easy if you want them to go a certain (general) direction : )
Click to expand...

Let me put it another way: I don't care. :D If anyone gets close enough to examine the stitching, they have their own problems.
 
Bill1 said:
It does not matter if a seam on a strap is not perfectly straight.

It is very easy to sew a 1 yard seam in a straight line and some 2" shorter seams.

It does pay to get the sewing machine controls explained to you, it is about the tension of the thread mostly. Adjusting the settings is not hard, there are only two knobs and some machines have automatic functions. On a strap, you can purposely put in some wobbly bits and make it part of the look. The critical joins, where the weight is taken, need to be good, but not perfect. Also you can get specific needles for leather and denim and canvas which make it easy to sew these materials in the lighter weights on a normal sewing machine.
Click to expand...

Thank you for that. :D

My goal will be to wind up with a strap that looks decent and functions. Straight stitching would be icing on the cake.
 
Jerryc41 said:
If anyone gets close enough to examine the stitching, they have their own problems.
Click to expand...
My wife's quilting group has the "25mph rule" - any mistake that isn't obvious when walking past at 25mph (quilters are fast!) doesn't count, and anybody who comments on such an error unsolicited is a

Straight lines aren't too bad so long as you have a good guide to follow, like the edge of the fabric or the next line over. Some sewing machine feet have a 1/4" width so you can use the edge as a guide to keep a 1/4" seam allowance. Once you have the aim down, the trick is keeping the stitches even. Sew a few practice sandwiches before committing to the real strap and it’ll be cake. And now I’m hungry)
 
Arcy said:
My wife's quilting group has the "25mph rule" - any mistake that isn't obvious when walking past at 25mph (quilters are fast!) doesn't count, and anybody who comments on such an error unsolicited is a

Straight lines aren't too bad so long as you have a good guide to follow, like the edge of the fabric or the next line over. Some sewing machine feet have a 1/4" width so you can use the edge as a guide to keep a 1/4" seam allowance. Once you have the aim down, the trick is keeping the stitches even. Sew a few practice sandwiches before committing to the real strap and it’ll be cake. And now I’m hungry)
Click to expand...

Yes, my machines - old and new - have guides on the foot.
 
I just cut them to length from a big old piece of soft leather someone gave me years ago. I give them two strap button holes for adjustment on each end, but since they’re purpose made for the ukes, I don’t need adjustment hardware like buckles ans such.
If I need a grippy strap, I wear it flesh side in. If I need it to slide a bit, then it’s hair side in.
Strap making can easily become a hobby in its own right.
 
Last edited:
I bought a 1-1/2" wide colorful cotton women's belt from Goodwill, used leather cut from a boot tongue for the bottom button, and a short piece of nylon webbing with velcro to attach under the strings on the headstock. It is not adjustable and works great on my soprano and concert ukes. The only time I use it is when I am standing. Whatever works is fair. Rick
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Mark Suszko
My triumphant return to uke video making
Replies
0
Views
146
Mark Suszko
Mark Suszko
Tin Ear
Making it handy in the Uke Happy space.
Replies
7
Views
550
Jerryc41
Jerryc41
Jerryc41
Making a Uke Can be Very Easy
Replies
7
Views
518
Jerryc41
Jerryc41
Doc_J
Uke therapy? Playing my uke is making my arm feel better tonight.
Replies
13
Views
836
Kenn2018
Kenn2018
Timbuck
An idea for making a solid enlectric uke
Replies
2
Views
471
Titchtheclown
T
Top Bottom