Step 1: Go to thrift store and buy suede leather jacket(s) in colour of choice for as cheap as you can find. My favorite thrift store had a half price sale on today. So I paid 3.50 for the jacket. I think I can get at least six sets of soles out of it.
Step 2: Buy rotating leather punch tool (thanks T, great idea!!). This is a Tandy Leather punch I bought at Wal-Mart for 10 bucks.
Step 3: Make bottom of slipper pattern, trace and cut out. Punch!
Step 4: Sew sole on bottom of slipper and feel extremely proud of self.
Step 5: Repeat for other slipper. Dance around in slippers. Maybe drink some champagne. You can afford it!
Cheeze...i turn my back for one minute and you're off blogging again about another really cool crafty thing to do! What a FANTASTIC idea! I am a frequent flier at Sally's (Salvation Army Thrift Store) and La Village (value village) and this is much improved over the $17-$20 pair for leather soles I've been seeing...hmmm...looks like I'll be hitting the coat racks. Jayne..yer my hero!
ReplyDeleteWhat a splendid idea!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally pumped about this. I got a buff, a brown, and a black jacket and harvested enough leather for many pairs (with colour options). Jackets plus punch all cost about 30.00 total. I'm in soles for a long time to come.
ReplyDeleteNow it's actually viable to make some gift slippers with leather soles.
The old leather/suede jacket thing also works well for making handles for felted bags. I'd be lost without my hole punch and a few good thrift stores.
ReplyDeleteJayne: what a good idea! I showed that to DH, he said,"smart!".I did all my felted slippers with moose hide, they are really strong.I don't have hole puncher, I usually did it in a hard way-hole by hole with my needle.
ReplyDeleteSK
I think you have finally found the one and only reason for me to set foot back in Walmart. I've made too many slippers, and NOT made too many others because I couldn't spring for the soles to not give this a try. Between the hole punch and nose/eyes for the hedge hog I'm gonna have to gear up and face it.
ReplyDeleteYour a genious! Honestly I'm totally impressed!!! Thanks Jayne.
ReplyDeleteLibby
Hey, Jayne, those are great! Can I buy a few pairs to keep in a basket inside the front door of my new house, so guests can take their shoes off and wear slippers in the house? I once visited a château in France where they did this, and it was a great way to keep the floors polished. They asked all the visitors to shuffle around in their slippers. Now I'm not sure suede soles would do a great job of polishing, but they'd be comfy anyway. And I'd much rather have something hand made by a friend than some cheap pairs of mass-produced slippers I could buy at WalMart.
ReplyDeleteWhat a super great idea. The soles are always a stopper. The soles sold for knitted slippers are so expensive. Hubbo has a leather jacket in the closet he won't ever wear again :-)
ReplyDeletedamn, youre good.
ReplyDeleteSuzie
How clever!
ReplyDeleteNice post love reading it
ReplyDeleteDisobey Leather Pant
Dashing Leather Pant
Thanks Jayne!
ReplyDeleteI'm a thrift store shopper too, but I would have never thought of this! My husband says thanks too for saving him $$$.