DIY Ideas For Shoes

Make Your Own Shoes - How To Make And Design Them

Are you the kind of person who wants to invent your own personal fashion statement rather than being defined by others? Or are you tired of the mass produced shoes that are in the market that dissolves individual expression? Then, the best alternative is to go for shoes that not only express your personal sense of fashion but with little effort you can make one.

If you have small inklings for crafts, and learn how to handle leather decently then there are endless possibilities of creating shoes and sandals that best suits your personal taste. In case you are not sure of how to go about making your own shoes there are different learning kits available, and alternatively you can attend workshops that train people on how to make shoes. With little practice and patience within a short time you will be able to make your own shoes with different combinations and designs.

If you are serious on making your own shoes then the first step is to find the right shoe, and then start making a blueprint and template of the shoes that you want to make. Before making shoes there are certain design decisions that you will need in order to create them:

1. The first is the material and the design i.e. how you want the finished design to look like, and what type of leather that would be used. Therefore, sitting down and drawing a design sketch is the first step.

2. The next step is to find the right sole for your shoes. Depending on your personal choice you can either go for soles from your old shoes or you can visit a cobbler to make one for your specific design. Whichever route you take it is important to remember that the sole needs to be sturdy and strong.

3. Once you get the sole done then the next process is to start making the upper part of the shoes. Generally, you would be required to use a tool called 'last' that expands depending of the size you want. Once you are able to hold the upper material tightly over the 'last', then you tape the entire shoe over the last and start cutting the fabric according to the design pattern. This will then become the template for your shoe. You then cut two more patterns to make a pair of shoes, and then you can stick the sole to the upper pattern and glue the two together.

4. Finally, with a hole puncher you can create eyelets for the shoelaces. With the eyelets done your shoe is more or less completed. So now you can be happy of your handmade shoes