I have fat feet. They are wide, they are swollen, and no shoes fit me. I'm 34 weeks pregnant with twins, and my normally wide feet are ridiculously huge. I was so excited to get my new sandals in the mail, and was very sad when at the widest setting, they were way too tight. I know that after the pregnancy they will fit. I wanted to wear them without changing them in any permanent way. (If you've ever bought new Birkenstocks, you know how much they cost, and you'd feel the same way about adding holes, etc. )

So here is an easy, quick and surprisingly comfortable way to alter them without damaging them.

Step 1: You Will Need:

You will need sandals that are too tight.
Yarn and Yarn Needle
1" wide elastic. ( used for pajama waistbands)
If you have black elastic, that would be even better, but all I had was white.

You might ask:
Why not just poke a new hole?
- I know these will fit after the pregnancy, and I didn't want to do any permanent damage, because they are brand new. That's also why I didn't just order a bigger size.
Why just not buckle them?
- I tried wearing them not buckled, and almost wiped out. Too hard to balance and not loose your shoes.

Step 2: Sew the Elastic

Thread your needle.
Start by coming up through the elastic and up through the first hole.
Go back down the second hole, and tie the end of the yarn so that it doesn't come undone.
(see pictures) Don't worry about the knots. You don't feel them, or see them.
Continue to go up and down in and out of the holes, and fasten off.

Step 3: Get the Right Fit.

Now poke the little post though the elastic to get the right fit. You can try trial and error, or get someone to help you if you can't reach your feet.
Tuck the elastic under the buckle, as if it were the original strap. Trim it so it doesn't hang out too much. The original strap rests over the buckle.

You can also do this for the strap over the toe. Mine fit okay, so I didn't need too.

Step 4: Have Comfy Feet.

Test them out, and enjoy some comfy feet. Now your feet won't hurt or go numb from wearing shoes that are too tight. They are very easy to slip on, and you don't have to fold yourself like a pretzel to tie them. Then, when the pregnancy is over, and you feet are no longer swollen, just snip off the elastic, and you're back to your original birks.

Enjoy!