Maybe Matilda: Crochet Camera Strap Cover Tutorial

Monday, January 30, 2012

Crochet Camera Strap Cover Tutorial

I’m hopping onto the camera strap cover bandwagon a little bit late. Can I still be one of the cool kids? Please?

There are so many tutorials for adorable fabric camera strap covers out there—including an adorable ruffled one from Midwestern Sewing Girl that Maggie kindly shared on my blog—but it’s one of the many projects on my to-do list that I’ve never gotten around to (and was starting to think I wouldn’t ever get around to). But lo and behold, Pinterest came to the rescue (yet again). Someone had pinned a sweet and cozy-looking crochet camera strap cover from Avery’s Loft on etsy. I thought to myself, “Self, maybe this is why you’ve never gotten around to sewing a camera strap cover . . . your inner granny wanted to crochet one instead!” So, inspired by the yarnilicious no-sew strap cover from Avery’s Loft (a lovely shop, by the way), I got to work and came up with this:

DSC_0362Pretty cute, right? I’m really enjoying it—it is super soft and cushy, and makes lugging around a big heavy camera so much more comfortable. And although I wasn’t really watching the time while I made it, I’d guess it took maybe 30 or 40 minutes to make. I doubt that I could have sewn one that fast—crochet for the win!

I wrote up a pattern for it, but fair warning . . . this is just what worked for my camera strap (a Nikon DSLR). I don’t know if strap measurements are universal across different brands/models, or if my stitch count would work for someone else’s camera. So just use this pattern as more of a guideline and adjust the stitches as necessary to get the right size to fit your strap, okay?

Okay!

DSC_0366 I don’t know if there are official terms for strap anatomy, so I’m just winging this: your strap probably has a big long main section that narrows slightly at either end before attaching to the string that loops into your camera. The strap cover pattern starts at one of the narrower ends, grows a little bigger as the strap does, and is worked in a loop toward the other narrow end before shrinking a little bit again to cover the second narrow end.

Camera Strap Cover

(Remember to use this pattern as a guideline—you may need to change the starting chain length and/or increases/decreases to accommodate your strap size! I crochet rather loosely, so you might have to drop a hook size or adjust the starting chain if you crochet more in the normal to tight range. Just check the fit as you go and adjust as necessary.)

I used worsted weight yarn and an I hook.

Chain 8 (or however long/short of a chain you need to wrap around the narrow end of the strap snugly):

DSC_0342 Slip stitch into the first chain to form a loop. (Don’t do this around the strap—the picture is just to show how I measured my starting chain.)

Row 1: Chain 1, then single crochet in each stitch around (this should give you 7 stitches, unless you had to adjust the chain length). Slip stitch to starting chain to join.

Row 2: Chain 1, work 2 single crochets in the first stitch, then one single crochet in each remaining stitch; slip stitch to starting chain to join. (You should now have 8 stitches.)

Row 3: Chain 1, work 2 single crochets in the first stitch, then one single crochet in each remaining stitch; slip stitch to starting chain to join. (You should have 9 stitches.)

Row 4: Chain 1, work 2 single crochets in the first stitch, then one single crochet in each remaining stitch; slip stitch to starting chain to join. (10 stitches)

DSC_0343

Row 5-?: Chain 2, work 1 double crochet in each stitch; slip stitch to starting chain to join. (10 stitches)

DSC_0344

Repeat row 5 until the strap cover is the necessary length (it should cover the first narrow end, as well as the long, straight section of the strap, and stop before the strap narrows down again).

DSC_0352 Now we have to decrease again to fit the other narrow end of the strap, so I’m counting down on these last few rows to the end of the strap cover.

Decrease row 4: Chain 1, single crochet 2 stitches together, then work 1 single crochet in each remaining stitch; slip stitch to starting chain to join. (9 stitches)

Decrease row 3: Chain 1, single crochet 2 stitches together, then work 1 single crochet in each remaining stitch; slip stitch to starting chain to join.  (8 stitches)

Decrease row 2: Chain 1, single crochet 2 stitches together, then work 1 single crochet in each remaining stitch; slip stitch to starting chain to join. (7 stitches)

Last row (1): Chain 1, single crochet in each stitch; slip stitch to starting chain to join. (7 stitches)

Now fasten off, weave in the loose ends, and stuff your strap through the cover (this might take some clever finagling!)

DSC_0353

I wanted a few cute little flowers to add a little spice to my strap. It’s January, and I need some non-dead, non-ice-encrusted flora in my life.

DSC_0358 

Little Posy Flowers

Start by making a magic/adjustable ring.

Chain 1, and work 1 single crochet into the ring.

*Chain 1, work 2 double crochets into the ring, chain 1, single crochet into the ring.* That makes one petal:

DSC_0355 Repeat from * to * for as many petals as you’d like . . . I prefer 5 or 6 petals per flower.

Slip stitch to the first single crochet of the flower to connect the first and last petals, then fasten off.

DSC_0356 And pull on the starting yarn tail to close up the center.

DSC_0357 Weave in the ending yarn tail, and use the center/starting yarn tail to sew the flower onto the strap. I went with a happy little cluster of 3 flowers to brighten up my strap.

DSC_0367 There you go! A cute, comfortable, snuggly soft crochet camera strap cover.

And in case you want a peek into my creative process, here are my pattern notes:

DSC_0359

I never said it would be pretty. My brain is a very confusing place, made worse when accompanied by a one-and-a-half year old who got a little jealous of my notepad and kept stealing it for his own messy, scribbly purposes. The little dark lord strikes again.

DSC_0346 He seriously looks a teeny bit evil in that picture. I’m frightened. Especially because he has recently started doing this maniacal mad scientist laugh . . . I think he has bad things brewing (and not just in his diaper). I can only assume he was taking my paper to make notes for his wicked master plan. I hope he will be a merciful evil overlord.

13 comments :

  1. I love it-- super cute! That only took you 30-40 minutes? Gah. Oh and, Forrest is hysterical. I like how the light is hitting his devilish face just right.

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  2. That is awesome! I see sewn covers all the time. I can't wait to try this. Thanks for sharing! :)

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  3. my goodness! It's so pretty and it's something I've been meaning to do for the longest time! I made a lens cover for my camera a long time ago (since I lost mine the first week I got the darn thing!) and I planned on a strap too but never did it.

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  4. I love this--it really does work your neck to carry around a camera with a scratchy strap, so it'd be nice to have a nice soft crochetted one!

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  5. I haven't done any crochet work since I sat home for two weeks after 9/11, but I would love to get back into this since my eyes can't do cross stitch anymore.

    Do you think the same principle can be used for making a guitar strap? My husband is a HUGE Florida State Seminoles fan and I'd love to be able to make him a guitar strap in the garnet and gold colors.

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  6. Nate is already super pumped that I'm touching his precious baby camera. I bet he would love a crocheted camera strap. I will tell him to thank you...and your evil spawn.

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  7. I love it! I've been meaning to make myself a strap cover as well but I rarely have time to make things for me. I've sewn a few strap covers before but had never even thought of crocheting one. I'm super excited to try this! Thanks for sharing!

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  8. This is such a cute version of the camera strap cover. Great work!

    And your little man does look a wee bit evil in that last photo, but I love it!

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  9. Hi, thanks for the tutorial. I'ts super cute and I made one myself as a gift for a friend and added a lens pouch to it. Check it out :)
    http://arfotografie.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/crochet-camera-strap-cover-and-lens-pouch/
    Annika

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  10. I absolutely adore this! I'm a freelance photog and could never find just the perfect pattern for my D7000. You to the rescue!! I'll definitely be using this and if I blog about it I'll link you =}

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  11. Making this right now...YAY! Thank you, thank you! :)

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  12. Hello! This is Amy from Avery's Loft and I just wanted to thank you for giving my shop credit in your post! My etsy stats showed traffic coming from your blog so I clicked over and was pleasantly surprised to find this post! It seems to be a rare thing to find someone who gives proper credit in the world of blogging, pinterest, and etsy so when I found you I wanted to be sure to stop and thank you. Your blog is lovely (as is your camera strap cover!) Keep up the good work!

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  13. Made this today in grape with pale pink flowers...no more scratchy neck for this photographer! Thanks for sharing this awesome pattern Rachel :)

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