Cap Gun/Water Gun Holster

This past Halloween, my three year old wanted to be a cowboy.  He had a predetermined idea of what all he would need to pull off his alter ego.  A holster, or "cowboy pockets" as he described them, topped his list of must-haves.  I couldn't bring myself to buy him one of those cheap plastic sets.  Ebay offered amazing leather options, but far above my budget.  I finally just decided to make some myself.  It took some trial and error, but I finally came up with a finished product I was pretty proud of.  I had planned on doing a tutorial for them when I made a matching belt for my baby, who was also a cowboy.  But it never happened.  So, just a mere four months late....

CAP GUN HOLSTER TUTORIAL

it just wouldn't be a post from me without a few non-rotating pics, right?

 

Materials needed:

-Two 1/4 yard non fraying fabrics in contrasting colors

**I used a suede-look polyester.  Felt would work well. I just have texture issues with felt and don't use it much.**

-1/4 yard medium- to heavy-weight fusible interfacing

-1/4 yard scrap fleece

-fastening notions of your choice

**I have a snap press and used polyresin snaps.  Velcro would work or metal snaps with a handheld snappress. Etc**

-Cap Gun Holster pattern pieces

Begin by tracing the holster pattern onto the interfacing.  You only need up to the top dotted line, as noted on pattern.  Make sure that the pieces face opposite ways.

 

When you cut out the interfacing holster pieces, cut inside the lines.  You want the interfacing slightly smaller than the rest of the holster pieces

Cut out two holster pieces of each the main fabric and the contrasting fabric.

You'll have a total of six holster pieces

(the angle of this picture is misleading.  The grey and black are actually the exact smae size)

Place interfacing on wrong side of main fabric, fusible side down

Attach interfacing by pressing in place

Cut out main belt pieces on the fold

You'll need one each of the main fabric, contrasting fabric and fleece

Cut out the rest of the belt pieces: belt ends and bullet loop thingies (I know, so accurate in my phrasing)

**I made my bullet loops too wide. I like the size in the pattern much better. But just note, that mine are kinda pretty much huge.  The pattern has much thinner, nicer ones**

You'll also want to cut out any embelishment/applique you're going to want.  I kept thing pretty simple: two small circles for the holsters themselves and then a western style monogram for the cowboy.

To make the monogram, I just sketched until I came up with what looked good enough to me.  I'm sure you can find a downloadable font online.  I just didn't bother.  I'm lazy.

Figure out your applique placement on the main fabric, including the bullet loops.

I used a plain ole' zig-zag to applique my pieces onto the main fabric pieces

For the bullet loops, use the markings on the pattern.  Or, what I did (on account of not having a full pattern yet), I did them about the width of my finger, plus some.  And used my finger as the fabric guide to get a straighter stitch.

Now back to the holsters.  Place the contrasting fabric wrong sides facing with the interfaced-fused main fabric

zig-zag stich all the way around the outside, about 1/4-1/8 inch in

Trim off excess close to, but not right up against, the stitch line

Fold holser at fold marks found on pattern, with main fabric on the outside.  Pin if necessary.

Following stitch lines as indicated on pattern piece, straight stitch from near the top curve, following the zig-zag, down to the lower curve.  Make sure to backstitch at both ends.

 It should look like this

Repeat for second holster

Now take your main belt pieces and sandwich, right sides facing:

main

contrasting

fleece

Now your going to sew these together, with about 1/4 inch seam allowance.  LEAVE THE ENDS OPEN and LEAVE THE HOLSTER GAP OPEN as marked on pattern.

Turn right side out

Take your belt end pieces.  For each end place two pieces wrong sides facing. 

Sew all the way around, leaving one end open for turning. 

trim and turn.

Fold the ends of the main belt in

Place the open end of the belt ends inside the folded in opening of the main belt.

Pin in place

Fold the holster gaps of the main belt in and slide the top of the holsters in up to line marked on pattern

Pin in place

Top stitch about 1/8 inch in all along the outsides of the main belt, catching the belt ends and the holster tops.

Now it's time to add your fasteners to the belt ends. 

Measure your cowboy.  Of if you're like me, and making it for a gift: guess! 

Place snaps/velcro/whatever at ends of belt ends

and make sure to leave room: extra snaps, longer velcro, etc, for adjustments.

And that's it

Put em' up!

(my little cowboy chaps and buckle tutorial found here)

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