This project turns out amazing but only requires ONE material...masking tape! That's right. You can make a shoe replica from just one roll of masking tape. I have used this project in my 7th and 8th grade STEM classes. As we studied gait and how arch supports can benefit a person's gait, my students created shoes. I love this project because it looks so complicated once it's finished, but the process is pretty simple and the materials used are so cheap. By following the steps below, I will walk you through the process of creating your own masking tape shoe.

Supplies

One roll of masking tape (I only used a half roll for this project. Some of my students used two rolls. Any masking tape will do. We have noticed that the lighter color tape doesn't stick as well. Scotch brand works great. Most of my students used a 1" wide roll. I prefer to use the 1 1/2" wide roll. Masking tape is great to use (instead of duct tape), because it's forgiving. If you stick it somewhere and decide to move it, it usually comes off nicely, and you're able to stick it again.
Scissors (Masking tape can be torn easily with your fingers, but there will be times when you'll want to use scissors instead of tearing it.)
Pencil
Shoe (or a picture of a shoe)

Step 1: "Taper Paper"

My students have nicknamed this part of the process "Taper Paper". To get started you need to make some tape paper. Since we want the shoe to be made out of nothing but masking tape, we need some tape paper to create a template.

On a clean surface, stick down a piece of tape that is longer than the shoe you are trying to make.
Lay down a second piece but make sure it slightly overlaps the first piece.
Continue to do this until you have a width that is wider than your shoe.

Step 2: Completing the "Taper Paper"

Now, you are ready to carefully peel off your connecting pieces of tape from the table top.
Place the connecting pieces of tape back down on the table with the sticky side facing up.
Rip off a new piece of tape and place it on top of your sticky surface. You are now doing the same process as you did in STEP 1, but this time, you are sticking the new tape onto the sticky side of the other pieces of tape.
When you are finished, you will have your very own "tape paper". It will feel stiff, but it should no longer be sticky. It's okay if it's a little sticky around the edges.

Step 3: Trace and Cut

Set your shoe down on top of your tape paper.
Use a pencil to trace around the edge of your shoe.
Using scissors, cut out your shoe template. This will be the sole of your shoe replica.

Step 4: Repeat Steps 1-3

You will probably need another piece of tape paper.
Place your newly created sole template down onto your new piece of tape paper.
Trace the shoe outline.
Using scissors, cut out the second sole outline. You should now have two shoe tracings cut out.

Step 5: Stick Them Together!

Take some masking tape and roll it so the sticky side is facing out. (This is the same process if you were going to hang a poster on your wall. You roll the tape, make it sticky all over, then place it on the back of your poster. The poster hangs on the wall.) You want sticky pieces of tape all over the top side of one of your soles you just cut out.
Cut up your leftover tape paper pieces into small scraps.
Place those small scraps all over the sticky tape on your one shoe sole.
Place the second shoe sole template on top of your sticky pieces and scraps. You are making a "shoe sandwich" here. You have two soles holding a bunch of "tape stuffing" together.

Step 6: Tape Them Together!

Like you're making a mummy, start wrapping tape around your newly created sole sandwich.
Don't wrap too tightly though. Since this will be the bottom, sole part of your shoe, you don't want it to be too thin.
Keep taping until no "tape stuffing" can fall out.

Step 7: More Tape Paper

Create some more tape paper (like you did in Step 1).
Observe your shoe carefully. What does the side of your shoe look like?
Using your pencil, sketch the outline of the side of your shoe onto the tape paper.
Cut out your sketch.
You will need two of these since your shoe has two sides.
Trace your first sketch.
Cut out the second sketch.
You should now have two identical side pieces.
Using masking tape, tape your two side pieces onto the soles of your shoe replica.

Step 8: Front and Back Pieces

Observe the back of your shoe. What does it look like?
Using more tape paper that you created, cut out the shape of the back of your shoe. Feel free to use your pencil and sketch the design first.
Observe the front of your shoe. What does it look like?
Using more tape paper, cut out the shape of the front of your shoe.
Using masking tape, tape your back and front pieces to your shoe replica.

Step 9: Clean Up Your Tape!

At this point, your shoe replica might look a little sloppy. Let's fix that!

Make sure all your tape edges are sticking to the other pieces. You want everything to lay smoothly.
Let's cover up all those uneven tears in the tape edges. Put a top coat of tape onto your shoe. Make sure the tape pieces all go in the same direction or the direction you intend for them to go. I had all the "tongue" pieces on my shoe go up and down, but I had the "toe" pieces on my shoe go from left to right.
Redo the piece around the sole part of your shoe to make the sole of your shoe stand out.

Step 10: Add Details

Once your shoe replica looks "clean", you are ready to add details to your design.

Look at the back of your shoe. Using masking tape, replicate the details you notice. Is there a loop? Are there seam lines? Is there a rubber piece?
Look at the sides and front of your shoe. What do you notice? How can you use masking tape to add those details to your shoe replica?
For the seam lines on my masking tape shoe, I used tape paper and cut out thin strips. I then rolled small pieces of tape to stick behind the tape paper strips to make the shoe not so messy.

Once you have added details, you are finished!