I’m still belting it out here. As the post several days ago indicated, I’ve been making copper belts for a few weeks now. I need to STOP, but keep having little ideas that need developing pop into my head. The idea for one of the belts shown here came from showing my ranch workers what I was making. One of them said he had seen women wearing large double link belts and suggested I try enlarging my original horseshoe links. I tried the double links, but it made the belt too heavy for my taste and I ended with the style shown on the right. When I asked what type belt he saw on the women, he looked a little funny. We decided, he probably shouldn’t be looking that closely at “other” women’s waists. His wife might wonder! The second rather poor photo shows how the belt hangs. The buckle has a white magnesite heart wired to it and deerskin fringe hangs on the other end.

The second pictured belt is much smaller and made with links less than half the size of the one above. I have been wearing it and find it to be very light and comfortable. These links mold well and stay in place.

Usually when I think of “belted”, I’m in the arena of music as in “the singer really belted it out.” But for the past few weeks, the word has conjured new meaning.

Earlier this year, I made a couple of mixed link belts that took a good long time to create and made my hand ache. The original practice belt is in the picture below on the far left. When the second of the belts was complete and had been sold, I vowed never to do another one. Then our bead group decided to make belts at our last gathering. “Urgh”, thought I, but I decided to give it another go.

I wanted something western, but the only readily linkable shape I could think of was a horseshoe. The first prototypes are in the right picture.  The horseshoe links worked much better and were easier to make than the mixed links. The horseshoes swivel easily and fit nicely around the torso. The final version of this style belt is in the picture above. I added turquoise to the buckle at the request of a boutique. You can see how these look in the picture below.

I’m also experimenting with heart shapes for the links and learned that they require a horseshoe link between each heart in order to swivel and fit. I’ve also played with a bird shape, but that didn’t hatch well.

Next, I’m trying a smaller gauge wire and smaller horseshoes with dangles in multiple locations on the piece.

I would enjoy hearing other suggestions for shapes. Until then, I’ll just keep belting it out.

Finally! For several weeks I’ve been attempting to make a copper belt. I could show pictures of all the different prototypes, but then there would be no room for words in this entry. The belt idea began when I worked diligently to create a long necklace of different shaped hammered copper links. The necklace grew too long and I tried to turn it into a belt. It wasn’t bad, but needed a few modifications. Unfortunately, I would rather make something new than fix something; therefore I started another long piece of copper links for a belt. That piece actually did become a long necklace.

Eventually, after examining one of my purchased older silver Concho belts I attempted a modification of that design. I’ve always felt the Concho belts were a bit uncomfortable in the back; so this copper belt has just a few ovals and those in the back are small. I added the turquoise on a few ovals for interest and put some dangles at the end. The large hook clasp and open links allow for the belt to be attached at various places. I used a heavy copper wire from the recycling establishment for the links and hand cut the ovals from a sheet of copper. Also, I spent a good deal of time filing and sanding since I didn’t want the belt to snag on clothing. The next one will have a second hook clasp on the opposite end from the first so that part of the belt can be doubled. I can visualize it made from different shapes and/or different stones.

Now that I have the belt ready for creating variations, what shall I do to create a tiny waist and flat stomach for it to adorn?