Confession: I love slippers. Actually, both me and my husband LOVE slippers. No matter what season, if we’re home, we’re wearing slippers. My sister gave me this booka few months ago and I was instantly drawn to a section that talks about the Japanese culture of Wabi Sabi and how it is custom to remove your shoes when entering someone’s home. Most homeowners have a basket of house slippers for guests to make them feel comfortable while they’re visiting. I love this line: “Silly as it may seem, wearing the same footwear as everyone else can provide that feeling of belonging we often crave.”
As soon as I read it, I knew we needed a basket of slippers like this. Per usual, I turned to DIY. I stopped by a local leather shop and browsed their scrap section and got 2 large scraps for $5 and then bought a yard of synthetic wool. I imagine these materials will be enough for 10 pairs of slippers, so far I’ve made four in various sizes.
Materials: Leather scraps (approximately 3 sq. ft.), Synthetic Wool, Contact cement, Paper, Sewing Machine with leather needle or awl and thread to sew by hand.
How To: Trace a shoe on a piece of paper to create a pattern and cut out the shape. Fold a piece of printer size paper in half and cut a half-moon shape. You’ll want the sides to extend 2.5 inches past your shoe shape on both sides. Trace these patterns on your leather and back side of the wool, turning the patterns over to create the opposite foot shape. Glue the leather and wool pieces together and line up the moon shape to the shoe and sew around the edge. Cut off any excess wool and thread.
As the temperature drops and the holidays inch closer and closer, I hope these slippers help friends relax while they’re here.