In the cold winter months, just walk indoors to get cold feet. Sit in front of the fireplace and build a pair of moccasins to warm your feet, stay comfortable and maintain a certain style even when you spend time in your home. Follow the next steps to build a pair of simple leather loafers.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Build the Model
Step 1. Get a paper bag for food products and open it to its maximum extension
The surface of the paper bag must be large enough to trace the outline of both of your feet.
Step 2. Take a pen or pencil and trace the outline of the left foot with a seam allowance of approximately 3mm
Step 3. Keep your foot on the paper and follow the inner upper arch of the foot with your fingers, then mark the points where they touch the paper
With a pen or pencil, draw a straight line to join the points you just marked.
Step 4. Lift your foot from the model and complete the line you just drew with another perpendicular to the heel and extend it about 2.5 cm beyond the edge
This track will be the sole of the moccasin, and should look like a foot with a T near the center.
Step 5. Place your palms facing down on the paper and the tips of your thumbs on top of the T with your nails and top knuckle in contact
Step 6. Bring your fingers together with your index fingers touching
Trace the outer edge of the hands on the model.
Step 7. Start on the side of the model where you just traced the outside of the palms and draw lines over the outline of the foot and at the base of the heel to create a triangular shape with a rounded tip
Leave about 1.3 cm of space between the rounded tip of the triangle and the toes, as well as about 2.5 cm of space between the base of the triangle and the heel.
Step 8. Cut out the entire triangle
This will be the model of your left foot. If you turn it on the other side, you will have the model for the right foot.
Method 2 of 4: Trace the Pattern
Step 1. Take a piece of leather at least 50x40 cm large and trace the entire triangular pattern of the left foot on the inside of the leather with a pencil
Mark the inside of the foot with an "S" to remind you that this part will be used for the left moccasin, and mark a point where the lines of the T intersect.
Step 2. Turn the model over to the other side and repeat the previous step for the right foot
Mark the inside of the skin with a “D” and mark a point where the lines of the T intersect.
Step 3. Once both triangular patterns have been traced, cut out the outline of the foot from the pattern
You only have to cut out the pattern of the sole, which looks like a sketch of your foot.
Step 4. Trace the left sole on a new piece of leather and mark the inside with an "S" to remind you that this is the outline of the left sole
Step 5. Turn the sole model to the other side and repeat the previous step for the right foot, without forgetting to mark the inside of the leather with a "D"
Step 6. Cut out the four parts of the skin with scissors
Method 3 of 4: Sew the Loafers
Step 1. Take a leather crafting needle and insert an artificial sinew thread, leaving a tail of about 2.5cm
You will need a sufficiently long thread to sew all the parts of the shoe together - a length equal to the opening of your arms will suffice.
Step 2. Place the left triangular piece on the left sole piece with the raw sides in contact
The rounded tip of the triangular part should coincide with the tips of the feet of the outline of the sole.
Step 3. Start from the center of the toes and start sewing the sole edges and the triangular piece together with a simple stitch of your choice
An overedge fits well on moccasins. Make the overedge by tying a knot on the end of the tendon thread and, starting from the bottom of the fabric, pass the needle through the two layers, first from the bottom up and then from the top to the bottom, in a sequence of identical stitches that embrace and unite the outer part of the two sections of skin. Continue to thread the needle through the two slightly inclined layers and letting it come out near the previous point.
- Work from the fingertips to the heel, then go up on the other side.
- For a more refined touch, allow for a larger seam allowance and fold the edges of the leather model inwards before sewing.
Step 4. Fold the moccasin in half and sew the back of the heel in correspondence with the Achilles tendon
Cross stitch gives a nice touch when sewing the back of the heel.
Step 5. Take the scissors and cut a slit about 3 to 5 cm thick from the top of the ankle seam inwards to the previously marked point where the T meets the skin
Don't cut this piece off completely, as it will be the tongue of your shoe.
Step 6. Repeat exactly the same operation for the right foot
Step 7. Cut all the loose threads making sure the stitches are tight and the job is complete
Method 4 of 4: Add Decorations
Step 1. Apply a leather fringe to the top of the moccasin
Take a piece of fabric that is about 7-8 cm wide and long enough to cover the top edge of the loafer.
- Cut out the rectangle with scissors and cut the leather into small strips, leaving a strip of uncut leather about 2.5 cm wide at the top. You can cut the fringes the same width or alternate between different widths.
- Take the leather fringe and place it with the uncut part at the top around the edge of the moccasin, with the fringes facing outwards. Make sure that the seam of the two sides of the leather rectangle is at the back of the shoe and that the seam of the fringe matches that of the heel.
- Insert enough artificial tendon thread into the appropriate needle to sew the entire edge of the moccasin. A strand as long as the distance between the fingertips and the elbow will be more than enough.
- Sew the leather fringe to the top edge of the loafer using any stitch that can express your creativity. You can also use a different type of thread, such as colored silk, for further customization of your moccasins.
- Repeat the operation with the other moccasin.
Step 2. Embellish the fringe with beads
If you want to apply beads of any color, shape or size to your loafers, fringe is the perfect place to do it. Just slip them into the end of a fringe and lock them with a knot to prevent them from slipping away.
If you want to make sure the beads don't come off, you can apply hot glue to the center of the knot to keep it from melting
Advice
- Use thick enough leather to keep your feet warm and insulate them from the ground.
- You can use an extra sole to give your shoes more support if you plan on wearing them often.
