How to Make a DIY Water Bottle Sheath

I don't know about you, but I don't drink enough water. I also know that carrying a water bottle isn't for everyone. But you have to admit, if you do carry one, you are likely to drink more water than someone who doesn't. Pretty obvious right? These days, we are lucky, anyone who is reading this is likely to have running water at their convenience, yet we still manage to stay mildly dehydrated.

So to solve this quandary, we go back in time when their wasn't water out of every tap and people had to carry their water with them. People would use the bladder of animals, hardened leather, clay and a myriad of other materials. I have a solution... Carry a water with you, BUT LOOK AWESOME DOING IT!!!!

I can't tell you how many compliments I have gotten for my water bottle sheaths. Strangers come up to me and ask me about it all the time.

In this Instructable, I will show you and give you patterns for different sizes and techniques. All of the ones I have in this Instructable are Klean Kanteen brand, mostly because I really like their stuff. I will in the future make patterns for mason jars for those who's budget doesn't jive with the cost of these. Plus, mason jars are great, just not as sturdy.

Step 1: Patterns

You can use these patterns in three ways.

1. take the measurements and draw them out

2. print it out and use it as your guide (you can use folded over tape to stick the pattern and material together)

3. directly input the Illustrator file into a laser cutter and the machine will cut it out for you (be sure to test your material)

I did mine on a laser cutter but if you have scissors and a leather hole punch, it works great too.

The files I have included do not have the artwork in it since it is not my original work, but it is easy to take a wood burning tool and add your own personal touch to your water bottle sheath. Or add an image to the file for laser cutting.

The following pages include three different patterns and techniques. You can switch up some of the techniques to achieve the look you like.

Step 2: What You Will Need

---- Please read all the sheath instructions because the one before is relevant to the next.-------

Adobe Illustrator to see the patterns (you can download a free 30 day trial of Illustrator)

(click on the link above to see the pattern)

27 oz classic , 20 oz insulated wide mouth, or 64oz wide mouth Klean Kanteen water bottle

bicycle chain

bicycle chain tool

piece of small flat metal with a hole bigger than a 1/4 inch (if using all bike chain without rivets)

hammer

pliers

scissors (or laser cutter)

leather hole punch (or laser cutter)

2-3- 1 inch "D" rings (depending on the bottle choice)

nylon thread

straps at your desired length

Step 3: 27 oz Classic (Not wide mouth)

You need a bike tool. Its not worth it to try and disassemble them without one.

27ozClassic.ai1 MB

Step 4: 27 oz cont. Disassembling bike chain

Once you have all your parts, set aside the hollow round parts. You won't be using them.

Re-assemble them with the leather in between. Be consistent with the parts placement.

Place the pins through the holes to hold them in place.

Place the piece of metal on something hard and stable.

Position the pin in the hole in the metal and hammer down until the pin goes through the other side and clenches the leather tightly.

Do one side...

Step 5: 27oz. cont.

Repeat on the other side to close it up. Make sure you start from the middle out. It makes it easier.

Before putting the sheath on the water bottle, assemble the "D" rings in the upper and lower holes

Pull the hat over and sew it to the 6 empty holes on the top of the body.

If you don't want a hat on it, you can cut it off and use the holes on the body to strap leather through and around the lower mouth part and through the other holes.

Sew the bottom together with thick nylon thread/cord.

Step 6: 64 oz Wide Mouth

This bottle sheath is a combination of two of the techniques I use throughout this Instructable.

I bound it up together the same way the 24 oz sheath was, with bicycle chain.

Attach 2 of the 3- 1" "D" rings. For this bottle, I used fancier pieces but "D" rings actually work better because they won't slip off.

64 oz waterbottle.ai1 MB

Step 7: 64oz cont.

Around the top, binding the body and hat, I used bicycle chain and rivet combination

Bend the bike parts to fit the curve of the bottle.

Use rivets to connect the parts and the leather

There will be extra material on the hat. Line up the two rows of two holes and connect them with bike chain.

Add the third "D" ring in the little space between the bike chain and the fold of the leather. You can use this "D" ring or the one below it as the strap holder. The one you don't use you can use to hook to a back pack for camping or whatever you like.

Put the sheath on.

Sew the foot and body together. If you don't like the fit you can cut the little flap holding the parts together to adjust it.

Step 8: 20oz Vacuum Insulated

This water bottle sheath is probably the simplest one to do.

20oz insulatedbottle.ai11 MB

Step 9: Riveting

You put this sheath together much like the other three but it is all rivets holding the parts together, so it is a much simpler procedure.

Pliers work great to scrunch the parts together.

Start from the middle out and do one side at a time.

Step 10: 20oz cont.

Don't forget to attach the"D" rings before putting the sheath on.

Sew the foot onto the body.

Take leather rope and put both ends through two of the holes on one side of the top of the sheath.

Wrap the rope around the bottom part of the mouth and take both ends and put them through the remaining two holes and a bike chain piece.

Tie a box knot up against the bike chain part.

Step 11: Straps

The Straps, I leave up to you to decide the length and width. Do what's comfortable.

If you want something that you can wear over your shoulder, I recommend not going thinner than 1/2 inch .

Step 12: Strap Examples

Step 13: Finish

Finish it with a nice leather oil.

I chose this one just because it was laying around but any brand will do.

Step 14: All Done

Enjoy and drink plenty of water. You have no excuse anymore and you'll look "styley" doing it.

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How to Make a Disco Ball Bra

How to Make a Disco Ball Bra

Disco ball bras are worn by celebrities such as Lady Gaga, and they're often worn in clubs. Their popularity hasn't waned since the days of Madonna teaching us to wear our underwear as outer wear, so why not make a disco ball bra yourself? This is an easy, affordable and fun project to work on, with a great fashion outcome.

Steps

1. Buy a comfortable but not too expensive bra. It doesn't really matter what color the bra is, but common colors such as white and black work best. When this is complete you won't see the cups, so don't worry too much about how fancy the bra looks.
   
   
   
   
   
   • Make sure the bra has full coverage and is firm. Padded bras are a good choice.
   • You may be wearing this bra uncovered, so make sure the bra fits well and does not ride up or slip off the shoulders.
2. Buy the supplies. You can purchase either silver sequins, mosaic mirror chips or silver glitter (a messier but still effective option). You will also need fabric glue. The sequins or glitter can be found in sewing, craft or even art stores along with the mosaic mirror chips. You can also purchase a shiny metallic fabric, but this is optional.
   
   
   
   
   • Sequins attached to a long thread are better than individual sequins - they're faster to attach.
   • If using glitter, the glitter should be in as large pieces as possible.
3. Find a large and flat workspace to lay out your materials. Avoid using any place that will become too cluttered, as you need lots of room to move. You may want to lay out newspaper or a drop cloth under the bra to contain the mess.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Decorate the bra. Spread the fabric glue right across the cups of the bra. Depending on what you're using, here is what to do next:
   
   
   
   
   
   • If you bought sequins, then glue them on in even rows; don't leave gaps but keep the sequins tightly packed together. Alternatively, sew each sequin onto the bra evenly by hand. If using strips of sequins, cut to size to fit each bra cup and hand sew or machine stitch in place.
   • If you bought the mosaic mirror chips, then just arrange them carefully on the bra and glue into place. Again, keep them closely together, without gaps.
   • If you bought glitter, place fabric glue over the bra, then just sprinkle it over the bra and set it out in a good place to dry.
     • This step is optional but effective if you're using glitter. If you bought metallic fabric as well as glitter, cut the fabric out to fit the shape of each bra cup (do a few basic measurements to make sure what you're cutting is accurate). Shape the fabric over the bra, glue in place (or stitch around if you're really patient) and wait for it to dry. Then, put fabric glue on top of the metallic fabric and sprinkle the glitter on this glue. The metallic fabric will help to bring out the sparkles of the glitter, making it appear shinier. 
5. Allow to dry. Before the disco ball bra dries, hold the bra out and check its shape. If any adjustments are needed, it's much easier to do before the glue dries, so fix any gaps or mistakes now.
   
   
   
   
   
   • Check that the bra cups are fully covered with the sequins, mirror chips or glitter.
6. Try on your new disco ball bra. Check it out in the mirror, then make any adjustments needed to ensure that it fits you comfortably. Once it fits well, it's time to wear it out to the next dance.
   
   
   
   
    

Tips

• If you've used glitter, be aware that this will continue to drop over the rest of you and your clothing whenever you wear the outfit. This can be pretty as an effect for nightwear but it can also be a messy nuisance.
• Great ways to wear are under a leather jacket or under a baggy, low neck vest so it peeps through. Or just wear by itself with high waist shorts or skirt.

Warnings

• Do not wash the bra. Air it outdoors if it gets smoky or sweaty.

Things You'll Need

• A bra (preferably padded)
• Sequins, glitter or mosaic mirror chips
• Fabric glue
• Metallic fabric (optional)
• Flat, large workspace