Broken watch strap?...

...don't buy one - make one!!!

I seem to have had a bit of a run on watch straps this year the result of which is I have a drawer with several perfectly good watches but unusable because of the straps. Replacement straps can be quite expensive and when you have a market stall where you can buy a complete watch for less than the cost of a strap...you buy a new watch.

I've been wondering what to do with the watches that I have as they are too good to throw out but useless otherwise...I came up with this...
...a scrunchie style strap made from a bit of fabric and some elastic.

They are very easy. Just take a watch with a broken strap...
...this one seemed perfect as it has quite a large 'face'.
Remove the strap...
...I would recommend cutting it away with small scissors rather than fiddling with the spring-loaded pins.
Chose your fabric...
...and a suitable width of elastic.
Because of the design of my watch I made the fabric tube slightly wider than the watch face...
...and slightly more than double my wrist width. On my first attempt I had already cut the elastic to size but this turned out to be very fiddly threading through the tube so on the second attempt I just marked where I would need to cut and then threaded that through. With the elastic and fabric held closely together I threaded it down one side, behind and up the other side - pulling it through so that I had roughly the same amount of 'tube' each side of the watch face. The fabric was then squidged up to reveal the mark on the elastic. This was cut and keeping the fabric out of the way I stitched the the ends of the elastic together (being careful not to get it twisted). The ends of the fabric were then brought together - a small amount of each tube-end tucked in and the long seam point matched-up before slip-stitching the two ends together to create a neat closure but retaining the tube of fabric. This was the most fiddly part of the process but not overly difficult.

Arrange the fabric ruffles to suit...
...and you are good to go.

Got a watch with a broken strap? Why not have a rummage around in your fabric off-cuts - you'll probably find something suitable and then you too could have a play.

I've seen scrunchie style watches in magazines and they cost a fortune - this way you can make your own and when you get fed-up with the fabric...you can just change it. Go on, have a play....................................