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Upcycled Sweater Boots

intro
 

introUpcycled Sweater Boots

What do you get if you mix and old sweater, some cheap flat shoes, and lots of hot glue? Sweater boots, that's what!
Upcycled Sweater Boots
 
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step 1The supplies
To make your boots, you'll need a big bulky sweater with nice large sleeves, some cheap flat shoes, a hot glue gun, and some buttons, as well as a sewing machine and a needle and thread. I machine embroidered my boots as well, but it's not necessary, just awesome :)

step 2Fitting your boots
Snip off the sleeves where they meet the sweater, flip them inside out, and slide them up your leg, sweater cuff first. Slip on one of your flats, and then stretch the sleeve to form to your leg, while keeping the edges wrapped around the shoe.  This will give it a nice boot shape, instead of a big slouchy triangle. Pin the new stretched shape in place.

step 3Sewing your boot
Once you have the shape you want, snip off the excess outside of the pins (I found there was a lot of excess near the back of the foot and especially at the heel, don't feel bad about snipping off quite a bit there).  Carefully slide the sweater off your leg without disturbing the pins, and sew a seam down the side to secure your new boot shape.

step 4Fitting your shoe
Take your flat shoe, and slip the inside of the sole into the bottom of the sweater (the open side without the cuff), Line the back seam up with the heel.

step 5Glue!
Take your hot glue gun and go to town! Run a line of glue just above the seam of the sole, and glue the edge of your sweater in place.  I started at the back near the heel, making sure the seam was centered, and then worked my way around to the front.

step 6Flip them right side out
Turn your boots right side out. This can be a bit challenging, but those cheap flat shoes are pretty bendable, which helps quite a bit.  Test the fit to see if you like em'.

step 7Making the cuff
Take the rest of your big bulky sweater, and snip off about 10 inches off the bottom. We're going to use the finished bottom edge as the bottom edge of our cuff.  Snip it in half, and use the pieces to wrap around your leg.  Measure how much you need, pin, and cut it to size. I cut some height off my sweater boot as well, to get it to the size I wanted.

step 8Embroider
Totally optional, but awesome addition.  I did this with one of my embroidery designs, on both pieces of the cuffs.

step 9
Fold your cuff right side in, and sew a seam along the edge you trimmed.  Turn your cuff right side out again.

step 10Sewing on the cuff
With your cuff turned right side out, tuck it inside your sweater boot. If you have embroidery, make sure it's facing the way you want it to once it's turned right side out again.  Pin the edges together, and sew a seam around the top. You might want to reinforce this seam a few times, since this will be the part of the boot that will be tugged on the most. Flip your …

57 comments
1-50 of 57
Mar 9, 2010. 3:42 PMdancing_sam says:
Thanks for the great instructable- have made a flowering version: www.floweringelbow.co.uk
Feb 15, 2010. 6:38 PMbaba87 says:
LOVE IT!!! I'm gonna have to try this.
Jan 14, 2010. 9:19 AMsgtroest says:
Wow your boots are so fly.  What kind of machine do you have?  It looks like the design is fairly large and really neat looking.  Just curious...
Feb 9, 2010. 2:52 PMHowlPendragon3 says:
do you mean an industrial embroidery machine or just a regular sewing machine for the design?
Feb 5, 2010. 8:11 AMcreativeme18 says:
oh wow, im gonna make myself a pair of those. love it!
Feb 4, 2010. 9:16 PMnenochan says:
wow cool! very creative
Jan 27, 2010. 9:41 AMjo-star says:
awesome idea and very simple to execute...thanks...
Jan 26, 2010. 3:29 AMMiss415 says:
What an awesomely creative idea!  Maybe an iron- on or sew on patch would work if you can't embroider!
Jan 23, 2010. 8:29 AMBECKBERRY says:
I wonder if it would work with pants?
Jan 12, 2010. 2:26 PMhishealer says:
I wonder how the hot glue will hold after a couple of wears... But then there are chemistry issues with some yarns and glues...  Hmmm, this calls for some research!
Jan 23, 2010. 8:27 AMBECKBERRY says:
Well you could just sew the boot and the sweater together with a needle and thred.
Jan 12, 2010. 9:26 PMM!dn!8ht_Sun says:
 Could you post your results please? I'd like to know how that would go too...thanks!
Jan 14, 2010. 6:42 AMiguanian says:
If you are worried, I'd suggest using the glue to tack everything into place, then  get out a leather needle or the like and hand stitch (whip stitch) the fabric to the shoe.
I did this a number of years ago for a pair of big slippers, using fishing line as the thread, and the stitches have held up for about 6 years so far.


Jan 14, 2010. 7:32 PMporcupinemamma says:
I was thinking a leather lace would work nicely-I' think I'll try your suggestions iguanian's  :0)
Jan 23, 2010. 8:26 AMBECKBERRY says:
cool
Jan 23, 2010. 8:25 AMBECKBERRY says:
I LOVE TOO SEW! Wow that was random! lol
Jan 23, 2010. 8:24 AMBECKBERRY says:
WOW! These boots are soooooooo cool that even my math tutor wants too see them when I'm done making a pair!
Jan 23, 2010. 8:21 AMBECKBERRY says:
wow did you design these yourself? They are way better than the ones you buy. And when people ask where did you get them? You can say I made them myself!
Jan 22, 2010. 8:09 PMclhursh says:
I really like this idea; I'm totally going to make some. Did you avoid using a sweater that had cuffs like those on hoodies? Would this idea work with those?
Jan 15, 2010. 10:02 PMtweetspie says:
So, the whole shoe is inside the boot? You don't cut it off or anything, just leave it?
Jan 19, 2010. 4:42 PMGoldilocks322 says:
Yes, so make sure the shoe is comfy!  I love it because it is like wearing a comfortable sneaker with the added warmth of boots :)
Jan 19, 2010. 4:41 PMGoldilocks322 says:
I saw this instructable and had to try it- mine came out so well!  Mine are slightly modified, however- 
   1.  I used a fitted sweater (siz women's small or medium), and it worked so well that I didn't even have to pin the sleeve to the shape of my feet.  I am about a women's 8, and by using the widest part of the sleeve (the part closest to the armpit), I could easily stretch it over the shoe, with the tapering sleeve not needing any sort of modification to look like a boot.  So easy!
  2.  The only old flats I could find had white soles, so I used the neck of the sweater (a ribbed V) to glue around the soles.  It added an interesting new effect.
  Slowest part was de-pilling the sweater, but with a razor and some time, the boots look like I just bought them!  I have gotten at least three requests to make more for my friends so far :)  Wonderful tutorial!
Jan 15, 2010. 8:46 AMsomeniceguyon says:
I think I might make a pair for my girlfriend. But I dont have a sewing machine (being as I'm a guy) so this will be a task. One question befor I start though. Wont the tounge of the flat get in the way when you put the boot on? Couldnt you accidentely pull at the glue and make it rip by pushing on the tounge with your toes?
Jan 19, 2010. 11:22 AMsomeniceguyon says:
I was being a dork, I didn't mean anything by it. Just don't want to spend a lot of money on a machine I'm gonna hardly use just for one instructable.
Jan 19, 2010. 11:26 AMsomeniceguyon says:
Plus, if I really thought guys shouldn't sew, why would I admit to wanting to make my girlfriend a pair with just a needle and thread... In my mind putting that in extra energy would show that someone is dedicated to sewing. (I just happen to be cheap and have a lot of free time.) lol.
Jan 17, 2010. 5:43 PMmikaelthemycologist says:
Dudes can own sewing machines too (look up the song "she thinks my sewing machine's sexy" by Kenny Chesney).
Jan 17, 2010. 8:38 PMRebelWithoutASauce says:
Yeah! I have two sewing machines!
Jan 15, 2010. 7:52 AMZipzilla says:
I LOVE this.
Times like a million.
I'm gonna go buy a lame sweater asap. (:
Jan 14, 2010. 6:25 PMTewai says:
I so love these boots & the instructions were so easy to follow!!! Thanks for the inspiration!!!!
Jan 14, 2010. 4:21 PMsluggosqueen says:
I didn't know I was looking for a project, but I'm on a mission now!!!  THANK YOU UrbanThreads!! Think I have everything. . .
Jan 14, 2010. 4:06 PMBECKBERRY says:

I LOVE THEM!!!!!!! I AM SO MAKING THESE FOR MY FRIENDS B-DAY!!!! :)

Jan 14, 2010. 4:01 PMtheladyinblack3 says:
I wonder if "shoe goo" would hold up better.
Jan 14, 2010. 10:53 AMStavro says:
What a fantastic tute! So clever, way to go!
Jessica :)
Jan 14, 2010. 9:20 AMKingJaymz says:
 Those are so cute! I want to make a few pairs of these for my wife. Awesome idea. And it's even simple enough for a sewing novice.
Jan 12, 2010. 10:31 AMscoochmaroo says:
I've already started on my first pair!  Now to consider a second with embroidery. . . I will definitely post pictures when they're done!
Jan 12, 2010. 4:14 PMluvit says:
i wear these and scream, "hello. my name is inigo montoya. you killed my father. prepare to die".
Jan 13, 2010. 12:30 PMporcupinemamma says:
When you say stretch the sweater to conform to your leg, did you mean the foot? I showed my adult daughter, who is 25 and she was really impressed!
Jan 14, 2010. 8:40 AMthe rural independent says:
These are phenomenal!  This would be a great product for an enterprising person to produce in a home-based, "cottage industry" type of business.

I will be linking to this instructable so that our readers can see this awesome idea.

Brilliant!

theruralindependent.com
Jan 14, 2010. 8:30 AMsabbott says:
I have an old wool sweater that I felted, and haven't yet done anything with. This would be perfect! Very creative idea.
Jan 14, 2010. 6:33 AMbloominaround says:
I am completely blown away by this one, what a creative idea... I love it!
Jan 14, 2010. 6:21 AMwhiteoakart says:
Wah!  Way cool.  I have been thinking I need a pair of Winter slip-on moccasins for checking on the horses and such.  This rocks.  Now I just need to get my sewing machine fixed, dammit.

You are my newest Instructables hero!

David A
Jan 14, 2010. 6:09 AMislandgirlartplay says:
Wow, these a too cool. I can't wait to try this out. Thank you!
IMG_1772.JPG
Jan 14, 2010. 5:58 AMMjPadfoot says:

wowowowowowow! these look even better than any of the designer ones i've been salivating after!!!
i need to find a sweater though. and proper shoes.
but kudos for an awesome instructable!

Jan 14, 2010. 5:48 AM8ofspades says:
Brilliant idea! I'm definitely going to give these a go at some point.
Jan 14, 2010. 5:44 AMchakra says:
COOL!!... not just cozy, but very fashionable too, especially with the embroidery...

You girls never have limits for your fashion sense, do you??!!! ;-)

1-50 of 57

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