Introduction: DIY Slippers

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About: In a valiant attempt to keep myself from dying of boredom, I create.
My feet are cold, a lot.  I don’t wear slippers too much because they don’t stay on.  One day while surfing the web, I came across a pattern for slippers.  No directions, no explanations, just a pattern and pictures of the finished product.  (The pattern can be found here:  http://www.sewnews.com/articles/Cozy_Toes.)   Today I had some free time and I already had the supplies gathered up from my fabric stash.  So I made these warm slippers, and since there was no directions, I did it my way, which meant a lot of trial and error.  So here we go.

Step 1:

Supplies:
½ yd. warm and soft fabric for lining the slippers
½ yd. upholstery fabric for the outside (left over from another project)
Large hand sewing needle
Size 10 crochet thread (color to compliment or contrast with upholstery fabric)
Sewing machine
Pattern, found here:  http://www.sewnews.com/articles/Cozy_Toes.) 
Tape
Paper scissors
Fabric scissors
Marker
Straight pins

Step 2:

After printing off the pattern, use the paper scissors and cut out the pieces.  Carefully match the colored lines and tape the pieces of the sides and the sole together.  I noticed that there was no seam allowance to the pattern.  So I choose a side that would allow me to sew the seams and still fit my feet.

Step 3:

On the wrong side of the lining, lay down the pattern pieces and trace them on to the fabric.  Make sure you get a right foot and a left foot.  Trace 4 of the side pieces and again, making sure that you trace a right side and a left side, for each foot.   The top of the foot also needs a right foot and a left foot.

Step 4:

Cut out all the pieces.

Step 5:

Repeat the above with the upholstery fabric.

Step 6:

If you don’t want to do this next part by hand, use your sewing machine and sew ends of the two sides together to make a loop.  Repeat of the other foot.

Step 7:

Put the lining fabric on top of the upholstery fabric (wrong sides together) for all parts.

Step 8:

Pin one of the side pieces to one of the soles.  I pinned the straight edge of the side to the edges of the sole.  I threaded the hand sewing needle with a long piece of crochet thread.

Step 9:

Tied a big knot and slipped the knot between the two fabrics and whip stitched all the way around the sole.  Each stitch was about ¼ inch (6mm) deep into the 4 layers of fabric and about ¼ inch (6 mm) apart.

When I reached where I had started, I tied off the thread and weaved in the tail.

Step 10:

At this point, I tried on the slipper and realized two things; #1. That the curve on the side piece, should have been a straight line, and #2. I would have to create some gathers along the top of the toes to get a better fit.  So I cut off the extra material on the sides

Step 11:

and then I took my thread and needle and tied a big knot and ran a large running stitch from the side of the foot, around the toe and to the other side of the foot.  Better.

Step 12:

I then pinned the top piece of the slipper to the top of the gathered area of the sides. 

Step 13:

Again I used the whip stitch, pulling it tight after each stitch to attach the last piece to the slipper. 

Step 14:

When I reached the end of the top piece, I just kept whipping around all unfinished edges, making sure the two pieces of fabric are sewed to each other.

Step 15:

Repeat the whole process with the other slipper so that you have a matched pair.

Step 16:

Done!  I am wearing them right now, wonderful!  Enjoy!
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