If you ever want to throw your old sweater away, think again. There are many other uses for it then lying around in a garbage dump. For instance, you can make a cozy pair of slippers from it. With a little bit of creativity there is no limit on how this DIY project can turn out. You will need:
• old sweater;
• 2 pieces of 12″X 8″ felt (maybe larger if you have a really big foot);
• double stick tape;
• sowing kit;
The process is fairly easy and you start with tracing your foot. You can use a folder for this. Round the trace so the final shape is suited for a slipper. Then, cut out and use the resulted material to trace onto both pieces of felt. The pattern should be applied twice per piece of felt, because you will need 4 pieces, 2 for each slipper- one for the sole and one for the midsole. Afterward, place down your sweater (don’t use the sleeves!) and draw an arc around the shape of slipper, 1inch above the toes and then extends straight down, on it. Stick one felt on the freshly-cut piece of sweater and another felt on the other side. Make sure they are aligned. Sow the pieces on the material. Next, use the remainder of the big chunk of sweater to make a plug out of the sleeves. Cut a piece of it and sow it shut, and round the other end of the sleeve by using a pair of scissors. It should look like an egg with a flattened bottom. Place the plug over the top of the felt-slipper, lined up with the center top of the foot bed. Stitch it together (that’s why you were supposed to cut a bigger piece of sweater than your actual foot-shape). All done! You are now the proud owner of a pair of cozy slippers made out of an old sweater. For more, take a look at WeCanReDoIt – Upcycled Sweater Slippers.
*sew not sow.
I was right with you until I got to “Next, use the remainder of the big chunk of sweater to make a plug out of the sleeves.” And from then on I was totally lost. What the heck does that mean??? A plug is what goes into an outlet. I looked at the photos and still found nothing to clarify.
The “plug” is the piece that goes over the top of the slipper. It hides those top seams where you pulled up the sides and front of the slipper to form the shoe. Look at the last 3 photos and you’ll see what they mean. They took the end of the sleeve and basically made a tongue-shaped piece to sew on. It looks almost like a non-functional pocket, if I understand what they did correctly. Think of it as a combination toecap/tongue that has been fastened to the sides of the slipper.
For anyone stumbling across this, definitely look at the link ( WeCanReDoIt – Upcycled Sweater Slippers) at the end of the post – especially if you’re confused.
There are full instructions and lots more pictures 🙂