Upcycled Sweater Slipper Boots
It's getting chilly, ladies and gents! I'm a huge slipper person, so when Buzzfeed blogger Pippa Armbrester contacted me with the challenge of coming up with an upcycled slipper DIY, I was so in! This DIY project will show you how to create your own cute and cozy slipper boots from an old sweater - and it couldn't be easier. You don't even need a sewing machine! I think these would make excellent Christmas presents for basically anyone on your list. Here's how you do it:
1. Collect your supplies. You’ll need scissors, pins, yarn, a large darning
needle, and an old sweater (try to find something with a tight enough weave
that it won’t begin to unravel when you cut it - felted wool works great for
this)
2. Trace your foot. Make a rough outline of your foot on a piece of
paper or cardstock. Give yourself about 1.5cm of extra space around the edge
for comfy slippers and easy sewing. Cut out your shape, and repeat for the
other foot.
3. Cut the sole pieces. Place each cutout on the body-area of the sweater,
and cut around them to create two sole pieces. It is best if you use
double-sided tape to keep the paper from slipping around while you are cutting!
4. Check the boot length. Stick your foot into the sleeve of the sweater
through the opening at the wrist. Pull the fabric around your leg to the
desired boot length.
5. Snip around your foot. Very carefully, cut the fabric of the sleeve away
from the sole of your foot. You are trying to make it so that just the bottom
of your foot is exposed. Now you have your leg piece!
6. Pin it together. Connect the sole piece to the leg piece with large
pins. Start with one pin at the toe of your bootie, and one pin at the heel.
Then stretch the fabric as necessary to line the two pieces up and pin them
together.
7. Blanket stitch. With the pins in place, blanket stitch the sole
piece and the leg piece together. To do a blanket stitch, (1) push your needle
through both layers of fabric from the top (2) pull the yarn through until only
a small loop remains (3) bring your needle back down through the loop (4) pull
the yarn tight. You can also add a blanket stitch around the opening of your
boot to make it look extra polished!
8. Try it on! Pull on your new upcycled sweater slipper-boots, and get cozy!
Love it!!! I want to make some! :) ~Stephanie
ReplyDeleteyou want to make those slip free? use the rubbery shelf liner, the stuff campers use to keep things from sliding off shelves when traveling. cut it out out using the same form you used for the sole of your slipper and sew in on right with the soles. It helps you keep from slipping and it makes your slippers last longer. I used to crochet (before carpal tunnel) and used that technique and everyone loved it
Deleteand the sandpaper will do a great job on your hard wood floors.....
DeleteThe sandpaper suggestion one reader made was meant to be used as a template for cutting out the sole piece, rather than actually attaching it to the slippers! That way, when you go to cut around your template it won't slide around on the fabric like the cardstock might have. Haha I can see how that would look like an awful idea if you thought it was going to be attached to the bottom of the slipper though!
DeleteElite custom customized tube crew socks for men women and kids. Cool colorfull funky funny vintage designs for every one slipper socks
DeleteAw, this is such a swell idea. I should make some for my family.
ReplyDeleteuse sand paper instead of card stock...with the rough side down, it won't dare move. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteClever! I'd never have thought to use sandpaper, but I bet it would work really well!
DeleteI am going to do this for sure
DeleteYou can also use Reynolds Freezer paper - quilters use it - iron it onto the jumper. Voila. It won't slide either... it's then easier for kids to make them too.
DeleteYour sew crafty. These are really cute an easy. Thanks for sharing, im going to make me a pair.
ReplyDeleteSweet!
ReplyDeleteHow are they not unraveling when you cut them?
ReplyDeleteHi Sue,
DeleteThe weave of the sweater I used was tight enough to stay together even when the edges were cut. Felted wool works great for this. However, if you want to use a sweater with a looser weave, just run a stitch over your cut edges with a sewing machine prior to blanket stitching your pieces together to keep things from unravelling.
You are very talented :).
ReplyDeleteHow about making mittens, scarf
and a nice little hat from the rest of the sweater?
An excellent idea! I still have lots of the sweater left, so I think I might try some of those out. Thanks :)
DeleteLove them! I totally want a pair!
ReplyDeleteThis is going to happen. I can't get enough! SO STINKING CUTE! I just love me some sweaters and socks, so sweater socks are right up there with chai lattes and espresso: SO GOOD!
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is wow! And my cold feet thank you and my old sweaters have a new purpose
ReplyDeleteYou can also double the sole pieces for extra comfort (and stitch them together so that they don't move around)
ReplyDeleteTotally! You could even add a bit of leather to the bottom, or some other non-slip material to make them sturdier. So many possibilities!
DeleteHow about using flip flops for the sole??
DeleteOn the bottom of the sole put a couple of lines of glue, with your glue gun, prevents slipping when you are wearing them, especially for younger children. =)
ReplyDeleteLove that idea! So easy!
DeleteAdorei esta ideia. Mto obrigada
ReplyDeleteYesterday I put, "make a pair of slippers" on my to-do list and today I came across these. Perect! Thanks so much for sharing such a great how-to! I'll also be linking in Tuesday's Daily DIY.
ReplyDeleteFound these on pinterest.... and I made THREE PAIRS this morning!!!! So easy and so cute omg. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this pattern. It is awesome just the way it is. I thought of some cool ideas to imbellish them. You could use a favorite team mascot, logo, children's characters, etc. You would have to do a little extra sewing on them but it would be cute. Also to add to the snuggly affect, you might could use fleece to line the bottom of the boot and just sew the two bottom layers together before sewing the boot part on. Also if you made several out of different sweaters, you could use strips of the sweaters for a different look. It would make it a little more involved but it would be a way to use scrap material and not waste it.
ReplyDeleteAlso a quick question, could you use a sweatshirt instead of a sweater? Especially the kind without the wrist bands. Just a thought. My mind is going ninety to nothing with this project. I can foresee a lot of inexpensive yet purposeful Christmas gifts with this one.
Again thanks so much for this!! I am a momma on a very tight budget this year and already have super ideas with this.
All excellent ideas! There's so many ways to make this project your own :)
DeleteYou could definitely use a sweatshirt, even with the wrist band on the bottom as long as it still fits over your calf. If it's too tight you can just trim that bit off and finish the edge. I bet they'd look really cute!
Jen
i'm so excited about this idea..brilliant. Now I will have a use for all those cashmere-yet-ugly sweaters I find at thrift stores! yes! this will be on everybody's gift list this year.
ReplyDeleteGreat re-cyling idea. Obviously hand wash? Or use fabric glue to seal the edges of the soles and top edge?
ReplyDeleteEither one would work! You could also run a quick stitch around the edges with a sewing machine prior to blanket stitching, which would make them sturdier.
DeleteLove this! I have a ton of sweaters that I don't have the heart to toss, but are too worn for the wardrobe. This is the perfect idea to recycle. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this awesome idea!! I'm going to make myself some slippers this weekend.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fabulous idea, I am pinning it!
ReplyDeleteLove this! On my list for Christmas presents this year! Just found your blog via pinterest, and I think I pinned half your posts. :)
ReplyDeleteThis are so cute and I shared them with my readers ♥ http://felting.craftgossip.com/2014/01/24/up-cycled-sweater-slipper-boots-tutorial/
ReplyDeleteThats a superb idea....just wonder why didnt i think of it before...anyways full marks to u and thanx for sharing it
ReplyDeletehttp://www.arreboditcomunapantigana.blogspot.com.es/2012/02/sgoc-dia-6-reconversio-de-jersei-en.html
ReplyDeleteThese are so cute and SO easy! I'd love to make them as gifts for Christmas. This kind of simple sewing I can do. These could even fit inside other boots, to get the legwarmer look.
ReplyDeleteJenn | http://www.capitalcityshoes.com/
wow! I am definitely making these... just wondering what kind of needle you are using??
ReplyDeleteHi! The needle I used is a Darning Needle, which is just a big, dull needle with a large eye so that thicker materials like yarn can fit through the opening. Happy crafting!
Deletethanks so much!
DeleteI have made them from aln old fleecesweater
ReplyDeleteHello!! I want the same but half shoes i mean opened from the top so can you please help me :)
ReplyDeleteLOve it, LOve it, LOve it :) definitely gonna try it thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIf perchance, you don't have old sweaters or sweats to use as material, visit your local thrift shop. You can find lots of recyclable clothing items that are easily adaptable to this pattern. I've been making these for a lot of years...and since I crochet, I often crochet the edges together instead of stitching them. I usually use some of my scrap yarn, leftover from other projects and a hook sized H or I. Tons of ways everyone can make this project their own! Thanks for sharing it here. ��
ReplyDeleteSuch a clever idea!
ReplyDeletebonsoir
ReplyDeleteun grand MERCI a toi pour ton tuto
SO CLEVER!!!!!
ReplyDeletedoes anyone have an idea for how to make a more durable/outdoor bottom , maybe something glued on or ???
ReplyDeleteA more outdoor bottom might be the leather soles they sell in the store. I think they have holes in them for this type of hand sewing. You might want to add more layers of padding to the bottom of the slipper also for outdoor wear.
DeleteA more outdoor bottom might be the leather soles they sell in the store. I think they have holes in them for this type of hand sewing. You might want to add more layers of padding to the bottom of the slipper also for outdoor wear.
DeleteLove upcycling, love this idea. My slippers right now have a very sorry-looking hole in them at the moment. May have to make them!
ReplyDeleteGoing to try this but us a sturdier bottom so they don't wear out.
ReplyDeletei made them and they feel AMAZING!!!!! But if you are planning to make them make sure you measure how much length of boot you want on leg.
ReplyDelete