Introduction: Leather Boots Repurposed Into Embellished Tank Top
See full post on my blog! http://www.colormebluefashion.com/2011/02/diy-what-to-do-with-your-old-leather.html
Supplies:
1. Old leather shoes
2. Simple tank or t-shirt (mine is American Apparel)
3. Krazy Glue or Hot Glue Gun
4. Scissors
5. A ruler
6. A pen
Step 1: Step 1: Cut the Boots
Cut along the seams so you have a clean piece to work with.
Step 2: Step 2: Draw, Trace, and Cut
You're going to have to draw 4 different size triangles.
7 Large
12 Medium
5 Small
3 Extra Small
Use the first triangle you cut out for each size to trace the rest. Make sure you draw them on the underside of the leather in case you mess up!
Step 3: Step 3: Measure
Lay the shirt as flat as possible and measure it from armpit to armpit. Find the center and use your pen to put a little dot right in the middle, where the first triangle will go.
Step 4: Step 4: Glue!
First put something in between the shirt like newspaper so you don't glue the shirt together. Then, lay all the triangles out before you glue them. Glue them in the order shown below. Make sure the first triangle (the pink #1) goes right in the middle where you drew the dot. (I swear it's not as confusing as it looks!)
1. First glue the large triangles in pink.
2. Then the medium triangles in blue.
3. Then the small triangles in green.
4. And finally the extra small triangles in yellow.
17 Comments
11 years ago on Introduction
Would be cool if the leather was sewn into the top then cut the triangles out of the shirt so the leather shows through. Might do that for my girlfriend
11 years ago on Introduction
Not really impressed. I thought the tank-top was going to be made out of a pair of boots. No offense meant, it's just very wasteful, and good boots are not cheap. I do not recommend this to anyone reading these comments.
You're better off sending them to Goodwill, Salvation Army, Purple Heart, etc. Someone who is less fortunate than you will appreciate those boots.
I could do this with leather that costs much less than the boots would ever cost, even at a store like Goodwill, where some stores sell belts for $1. You will not acquire boots for under a buck anywhere, I'm pretty certain.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I tend to agree with you westmont. I was expecting something really cool. but little triangles glued on just doesn't get it. and to waste a perfectly good pair of boots for it is a shame.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Completely correct, you two.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I really don't understand why this was featured/in my e-mail/whatever, either. Maybe I should actually re-purpose something into something else without wasting. I dunno what, though.
11 years ago on Introduction
I wouldn't recommend boots for leather, but leather scraps from other projects will do the trick!
11 years ago on Introduction
Nice job!! I have had success using hot glue to attach patches to blue jeans that were worn. I cut the patches from other old jeans. I HAVE run them through the washing machine and hung them up to air dry them. The hot glue held perfectly. Hot glue comes in either high temp(380F) or low temp (260F). Either one melts way above the boiling point of water (212F) so you don't have to worry about water melting the glue. Your washing machine water probably stays below 140F. I would NOT put them in a clothes dryer. Keep up the creative ideas!
11 years ago on Introduction
Your instructions were very well written with lots of photos to give an extra level of understanding for the reader! Yeah you!! :0) Ratzenhammer has a fun idea re. your blog. If you do anything else with the leather you have left over, I bet it will be wonderful! Have a great weekend ( a "Long " weekend if you are in Canada eh?)
11 years ago on Step 4
while the shirt looks to be "fashionable" and easy to assemble, I have a few issues with this, I am a typical male and by no means do i have a "fashion sense other then my trusty Jeans and T-Shirts but i work with leather
#1 using either crazy glue or hot glue to adhere leather to cotton may be easy, but as soon as you wash it all the pieces will fall off..leather needs a stronger bond and should be prepared for glue by roughing it up with sand paper and the like and use a leather specific glue
#2 your "re-purposing" of the boots seems to be entirely wasteful (IMHO) if your going to "destroy" a useable set of boots for this minor amount of leather..you could do the same thing with a $5 leather belt from wal-mart.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Even better is a leather belt from a thrift shop. You can find some pretty good leather in cheap belts from the thrift shop. Thrift shop belts are great for making spiked collars and bracelets and such.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I kind of agree with Turnpike here. I love remaking things and sewing new things, but I think you could go to a fabric store and get the right amount of leather you want rather than wasting a perfectly good pair of boots that someone at Goodwill could use more.
Plus, the absolute best way to adhere leather to cotton tanks, and the like, is to actually sew it on. Obviously get the right kind of glue if you don't have a sewing machine. However, if you do spend the time just sewing several stitches in the center of each leather piece to hold it in place. Then it's perfectly machine washable.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Most cheap belts are not real leather. Most are pleather or similar.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Well, if you look at her blog, she uses the boots for other things too. And you can see that they aren't quite useful by looking at the soles. Soo, it's not a waste if she is going to use the tank more often than not wearing a pair of boots. it's really NBD.
Reply 11 years ago on Step 4
This is a good point - which is why I only handwash it in cold water!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I have to agree with you. Superglue or hot glue would not stand up to any type of machine washing. Also I've met people that would kill to have those boots. They're in great looking shape. $20 to get them re-soled and they would be like a new pair only more comfortable because they're already broken in.
I picked up an old leather coat at the 2nd hand shop for $15. It was pretty beaten up and had some tears in the cuffs and collar but a lot of great leather in the body for projects.
11 years ago on Introduction
I know nothing of fashion, but i fell in love nontheless...
11 years ago on Introduction
If you want the adhered pieces to withstand multiple washings, even hand washings, leather or fabric-specific glue is necessary for washable articles, you might consider Aleene's Tacky glue or similar. And, yes, definitely keep this out of the clothes dryer, as leather is skin, and it will curl or shrink in intense heat.
What might be cool is a compilation of blog bits that depict the eventual use of ALL the leather in the boots!