Soda Pop Tab Belt Instructions & Picture Tutorial (Using Ribbon)

You will need

1 Hour

1/4" wide ribbon
pop tabs
candle
matches

You’ll need approx 3 tabs per inch of belt not counting the ties… (This will vary depending on how you cross your ribbons and tabs.)

My ribbon is 1/4" wide from Wal-Mart, ($0.40 for 10 yards on a spool; can't beat that. Just buy a spool of whatever color/s you want.)

Wash and rinse the soda can tabs, then allow them to dry.

Pull off any remaining circle things that attached the tabs to the can

Measure 18” of each ribbon, then knot them together (These 18” will be used to tie the belt)

(Knot at 18 inches pic)

Now measure the waist of your favorite skirt/pants. Double the length of the waist and add that length to the 18” (e.g. skirt waist is 29” so 58” should be added making 76" is the total length of each ribbon) (18 + (29*2) = 76)

Cut both ribbons that length.

Step 1) Slide the 1st tab onto the longer lengths of ribbon before the knot. 

The ribbons should go over the left side of the tab and inside the holes (The smooth side of the tab should be facing up)

The bigger hole should also be up

(anchor tab in place pic)

Step 2) 2nd tab--lay it in place behind the other one. The rough side should face up/toward the other tab.

(2nd tab in place pic)

The ribbon should go behind the left sides of the 1st tab and through the center holes from behind (The smaller hole of the 2nd tab should be facing up. The bigger hole of the 1st tab should be facing up.)

(2nd tab action shot)

(2nd tab side shot)

While stitching through the 2nd tab the ribbon should go through the center hole of the 1st tab

(the back tab will hold it in place)

(ribbon through 1st & 2nd tabs pic)

Step 3) 3rd tab—lay it in place (Pretty side up) (See how the holes overlap?)

(3rd tab in place pic)

For a regular 'stitch' take the top ribbon through the top holes, and the bottom ribbon through the bottom holes

(1st reg top stitch action shot pic)

Finished stitch

(finished reg stitch pic)

If you keep making this kind of stitch, you will have a belt like this on both sides (except the top color will be all one ribbon and the bottom color all the other ribbon)

(reg stitched belt pic)

I make mine with X’s by crossing the ribbons, (because it’s prettier)

Step 4) To make an X stitch take the bottom ribbon, and stitch it through the top holes

(beginning X stitch pic)

Then stitch the top ribbon through the lower holes

(completed X stitch pic)

I usually do regular stitches on one side and x stitches on the other, so my belts can be worn on either side if you want to change things up. But sometimes I mix x stitches and straight stitches.

Keep doing step 2 and step 3 or 4 until your belt is long enough.

You can do all ‘X’ stitches, all straight stitches, or a mix of both. You can also leave all the bigger ends of the tabs facing up for a slightly more fragile—and more delicate looking—belt. (Thats how I did the belt in the top pictures--Aka Sharron's belt.)

So when you have all the tabs you want on, knot the ribbon to your last pop tab. You should have some ribbon left.

Cut this ribbon off at an angle then seal the end by holding up to an open flame. (This prevents fraying.)


Don’t hold the ribbon in the flame; just hold it close to the flame at an angle. You should be able to see the end melt/draw up a bit. Melt the ends of the 18" that are used to tie the belt also.

After the jump more info for picky people like me

3-20-10 7:00 PM

Trying to cope with the shadows of his fear

This is not my battle, yet somehow it is

I don't know what I'm afraid of

Or maybe I do and am also afraid to admit it

Missing not knowing what that was like

Libbey Potty Humor

Spades.

Leah was losing badly. Libbeys, we like to win.

"You sunk. I make you sink" He he he Seth laughed.

"Well you're just a pooper scooper." Leah said mock glaring at Seth and dumping her tricks in the pile to be shuffled before continuing, "You're not even the guy doing the scooping. You are the scooper. The plastic thing--That's what you are."

Seth promptly replied, ""Really? Well guess what you are. You." He left a short dramatic pause before continuing, "Are the poop."

Leah sputtered a bit while we all giggled (Surely she know she was already beaten in this word war.) But she replied, "Well you are the poop still in the horses butt then."

"At least I'm warm." was Seth's retort. "You're all cold and chunky."

Of Stepping Stones & White Out

It is painful to be white-outed out of your life. But if your part of our friendship was solely based on your plans for a relationship with my brother it was only a stepping stone to the path your parents had chosen for you.

Rather than a real friendship.

Stepping stones aren't of themselves bad things, and walking on them isn't evil, but people aren't stepping stones.

At least they shouldn't be.

Congrats on your new boy, new future, new life, and new friends.

Bye

Dating Vs Courting

When I first started attending my current church I was startled by how many references the pastor made to courting. He doesn't talk about it much now, but back then was at least every week if not every service.

One day I was at a fast food restaurant with some people from church. I was sitting quietly when suddenly a boy (the P.K. actually) turned to me and asked, "Do you believe in dating or courting?"

I barely know you... I thought glancing his shoulder to see the pastor intently listening. Awkward, uh, what to say, what to say. I shifted through my thoughts...

• A: The boy I like lives in GA and I like him, but I don't want him."
• B: 'My dad wouldn't want me to date yet anyway."

or '

• C: "I'm happily flirting with everyone right now?'  

No. no one understands A without a detailed explanation. (And I so wasn't giving a detailed explanation.) B would be completely uncool for the boy to hear and C would be way awkward for the pastor to hear.

So I just said, "I don't know yet."

He was suitably impressed by my honesty, and the pastor gave me a friendly-understanding-but-perhaps-somewhat-disappointed smile from behind the boys shoulder before turning away.

My (then) best (church) friend and I always wondered what exactly courting meant--To the pastor. I mean he always preached about it, but what did that mean? Definitely meant no sneaking off to make-out at youth camp lol, but what did you do?????

So we asked.
Actually I asked.
I can't remember exactly what he said.

Sorry.

You'll have to ask for yourself.

---------

Some years later in the middle of our 10 millionth discussion about dating Vs courting the same guy turned to me on the way home from this 6 flags trip. "So what do you do if you haven't decided yet [if you want to marry the person]?"

"You date them to find out." I replied.

Nuff said.