Dart Gun Holster

This is part of a collection of posts to make an artillery belt/gun-sword holsters for a boy's toy.

You can use any belt you have around the house for the dart gun holster, or you can go to the artillery belt post if you want to make it yourself.

The first time I made this (for the nerf Maverick) I used outdoor canvas, which I much preferred.

This time (making for the BuzzBee Rogue), I use some (still tough, but not as stiff) duck cloth. I chose to fuse (with fusible webbing "wonder under") some heavyweight stabilizer. You could also use fusible stabilizer or just not worry about it. (I'm just trying to diminish my stash of randomness.)

If you have a Nerf Maverick, use pattern 1.
(top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right) - piece them using the vertical/horizontal lines)

This one is a little less sleek in its design - more boxy - I might improve it later. It should look like this once the pieces are taped together:

(note - this pattern from my 2011 version uses buttonholes to attach holster to belt - if you wish fold-over style attachment for easier sewing, just extend the top another few inches) Other than that, the overall construction of this version is easier. Instructions here. 

If you have a Buzzbee Toys Air Warrior ROGUE (Target), use pattern 2.
(top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right) - piece them the same way to look like this:

For either of these, skip down to Putting it Together.

If you have something else, you'll need to make a pattern first - try this post.
Note before making pattern:
(You could just pick a pattern, print it and wrap it around and see if your gun fits...save yourself the trouble of pattern making)

Instructions for the lined 2013 version 

(more seamless but a little more tricky than 2011's lined version)
 (*for a quick and easy unlined option - see end of post)

Using your pattern as a guide, cut out 2 layers of fabric.

If you need to stabilize the fabric, start with heavyweight stabilizer (I assume it's not fusible...if it is, skip down to step 3.)
1. Lay fusible webbing shiny side down on top of heavyweight stabilizer.

2. With iron on low to medium and no steam, iron slowly over entire area to be fused. (Fully fused when fabric is cooled. If you fused any to your ironing board, pull it up while it's warm)

 3. Lay fabric (already cut from pattern piece - or pattern piece itself - fabric just stays put better without pins) on top of (now) fusible stabilizer - fusible side of stabilizer up, wrong side of fabric down.

4. (Assuming you used stabilizer and webbing) Peel paper backing from fusible webbing (it should be cooled).

5. Align stabilizer over the wrong side of the fabric (with exposed fusible material facing the fabric - fusible facing down). 

I flipped these over and put the fabric on the bottom because I always prefer the fusible material to be against my ironing board rather than (potentially) against my iron. Ideally, I would lay some junk fabric or old towel under the project so that the fusible junk gets on that, but my ironing board cover is so far gone that I didn't care if it got fusible stuff on it.

6. Iron (again, low to medium heat and no steam) to fuse. Once it's cool - you're good to go.

Your dart gun holster - outer fabric.

(You should also have another fabric - not stabilized just like this but mirror image)

Now, you're ready to start sewing!

1. Fold holster, aligning bottom curves, and sew along bottom/side curve.

2. Clip curves and snip off corner.

3. Repeat for lining - but be sure it's mirror image of the outer (unless your fabric has no right/wrong side - then it doesn't really matter).

4. Flip the lining so that its seams are inside, then slip it into the outer fabric of the holster. Align all edges and seams and pin in place.

5. Seam around the edges, leaving an opening at the top (straight edge) of the holster.

(see that little notch on the right with the white pin in it? - that got trimmed later - it was just too much to work with when I flipped it and tried to get it to cooperate - no amount of trimming/clipping that curve helped.) This is noted on the pattern.

Be sure sew in a little at each end of this opening/side so that the corners form well.

6. Before you flip (you know it's coming next), trim the edges, clip your corners, and clip little triangles or straight lines around all curves. If you neglect this step, your curves and corners will look 'wonky'.

Now, you can flip it right side out.

Poke a pencil or something in your corners to get them crisp and smooth out the curves, etc. Iron to crease and tuck in that open edge so it looks closed. Iron well (so it stays while you stitch it shut).

Starting at the opening (to close it), top stitch all the way around the holster.




The last thing to do to make it useable is to make it attachable to a belt.

Put it on a Belt - make a "casing" to put the belt through.
(Hint: This is the easier version than 2 years ago with buttonholes!)

1. Fold over the top portion of the holster to the back so that it lines up well. Make sure you have a 'casing' (hole/gap/etc) big enough to accomodate the belt.

2. Stitch along the bottom - backstitch at each end well.

If this is overwhelming to you or if you have fabric that you don't want to line - try this instead:

For a quick and easy unlined holster - 
Using double fold bias tape, fold tape over edges of holster - covering all areas that will not be touching when folded. Stitch through bias tape and holster (sandwiched inside folds of tape).

Fold holster for finished look. Stitch along bottom and side to create the holster pocket where gun will go (just as in step 1 at the top).

Using more double fold bias tape, open fold of bias tape and roll end and seam (1/4").
Re-fold this bias tape and starting at bottom of holster (the seam you just made to shut it), fold this piece over seamed edge of holster from bottom to top of seam.

When you are nearing the end, stop, remove from machine, and cut the bias tape (leaving an extra 1/2"). Open the bias tape, and hem this end, folding 1/4" then again 1/4".

Refold bias tape over the rest of the holster seam, and continue stitching through tape/holster, covering the rest of the holster's raw edges.

If your holster has the foldover style (the one shown here is buttonhole style) to attach it to the belt, then fold over the top toward the back (leaving enough room for a belt to go through) and stitch in place.

It will look similar to this smaller version made for a mini dart gun:

The pattern for this one is here:

to print to 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper, use this one: