Thursday, June 10, 2010

How to Turn Your Jeans Into Earth Friendly Slippers

How to Turn Your Jeans Into Earth Friendly Slippers


How to Turn Your Jeans Into Earth Friendly Slippers

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Finished product
Finished product
Don't fill up the landfills with those really old jeans! Make some slippers out of them instead!

Steps

  1. Make sure your pockets fit!
    Make sure your pockets fit!
    Make sure your feet fit into the back pockets. Slip your feet into the pockets to check if they'll fit.
  2. Ready to trace around
    Ready to trace around
    Take a pair of your old slippers or flip flops and put them on two pieces of cardboard.
  3. Traced footprints
    Traced footprints
    Trace around each slipper carefully onto cardboard. Cut out the traced foot templates.
  4. Got the right length of denim leg
    Got the right length of denim leg
    Set the cardboard templates on the lower (larger) end of the legs of the unwanted jeans. Make sure the material is long enough for your foot, and a seam allowance.
    • Cut off the jean leg ends just above each slipper's seam allowance once you're satisfied with the length and width.
  5. Foot shape on the denim
    Foot shape on the denim
    Turn the denim cut-off fabric inside out. Using tailor's chalk, trace around each of the cardboard foot templates onto each of the cut-off ends.
    • Use straight pins to firmly hold together the two layers of denim.
    • Once pinned in place, cut out the foot shapes in the denim fabric. Be sure to leave adequate seam allowance around the edges.
  6. Sewing together
    Sewing together
    Leaving one side of the denim fabric open approximately the length of each slipper, sew the rest of the two layers shut for each foot. These are now your "denim slipper bases".
  7. Foam layer for your slippers
    Foam layer for your slippers
    Use the cardboard template foot shapes to draw around on a thin sheet of foam.
    • Cut out each foam foot insert and set aside.
  8. Putting layers together
    Putting layers together
    Take the partially stitched up denim slipper bases and turn them right side out.
    • Slip the cardboard foot template inside each denim slipper base, followed by the foam foot insert on top of the cardboard insert.
    • So far so good!
      So far so good!
      Do this for both denim slipper bases, and then sew the seam closed.
  9. Cutting out the pockets
    Cutting out the pockets
    Cut out the pockets that you sized previously. Cut as close as you can without cutting the pocket material. The pocket needs to come away completely intact, with both its front and backing sides in place (i.e., still serving as a real pocket).
  10. Feet in the pockets
    Feet in the pockets
    Put each denim slipper base inside of each pocket. Align them squarely and neatly.
  11. Sewing the pockets to the slippers
    Sewing the pockets to the slippers
    Start sewing the pockets onto the underside only of the denim slipper bases.
    • Denim, no matter how old it is, can be difficult to sew through, although jeans using Tencel® fabric might be softer. Do what you can to make the sewing easier on your fingers (use a thimble!). If you have a sturdy sewing machine, try using that but be careful not to sew the front of the pocket down.
  12. Finished product
    Finished product
    Enjoy the finished product. These make great gifts for birthdays and best friends.

Video

Tips

  • The fancier the pocket design, the fancier the resulting slipper.
  • Don't throw away the rest of the jeans. You might be able to make a denim skirt from the top, or make a stuffed toy, or even cleaning rags.

Things You'll Need

  • Old pair of jeans
  • Cardboard (quality, corrugated carton style, needs some air cushioning and strength)
  • Thin foam
  • Scissors
  • Sewing machine and thread
  • Tailor's chalk
  • Marker for cardboard
  • Straight pins

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

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