Sweater Slippers

My box of fabric is overflowing. Yesterday I decided to do something about that, being home sick with a hacking cough that was being remedied rather well with codeine-infused cough syrup. Much of the plastic rubbermaid was filled with old clothes waiting to be re-invented. So I cut up old jeans and sewed them into strips for a quilt, but I didn't have enough to finish, so I went rummaging back in my box.

About five hot-washed shrunk sweaters were neatly folded in my box. I've seen several cool patterns and ideas for things to make with felted sweaters. My husband asked for slippers for Christmas, but he also asked for about a dozen other things so slippers didn't make the list. Lucky for him he has a handy wife.

There are lots of patterns for felt slippers on the internet (just google it) so I won't re-invent that wheel. Plenty of directions also exist on how to actually felt a sweater, in case you haven't figured out how to ruin a sweater on your own (or with the help of any housemates).  I will outline the basics of how I made mine and what I learned.

1. I cut out three layers of felt for the soul of the slipper (using an old pair as a guide) and sewed them together to create a solid base. Next time I might add a couple pieces of leather on the heal and the ball of the feet to add grip.

2. Next I worked on the main flap over the top of the foot. I measured the part of my husbands foot over the base, in front of his ankle, and cut out a piece that wide: Next time I would cut out two (I had to add an extra tongue-like piece to add stability).

3. Third, I worked on the heal strap. I measured how high I wanted the strap to be behind the heal and at the ankle (3" and 2") as well as how long between where the second piece in step two (9 1/2"). I forgot to add a seam allowance on the height but it all worked out well anyways. I used my new pinking shears to finish the edge, just to make it look cool.

4. I sewed it all together: and felt is great to work with- very flexible and forgiving!

Note: My husband is getting tired of middle-management stress: Thus: He's considering a new career in foot modelling.

trying to decide how to make the top of the slippers