Craft Wars: The Shoe Challenge

Three unique ways to transform ho-hum footwear.

We all have some basic but boring shoes stuffed in the back of our closet — but that goes-with-everything pair that could use a little extra flair. So we asked three DIY fashion bloggers to undertake some footwear makeovers.

First up, Kristen from Glitter and Glue added some sparkle to everyday flats.

Here’s how she did it.

1. Collect your supplies. You’ll need a pair of basic flat sandals, glitter, glue (everyday tacky glue will work), a foam brush, and sealant or clear nail polish.

2. Apply the glue. Use a brush to apply a layer of glue over the areas of the sandal you wish to glitterize.

2. Get your glitter on. Sprinkle glitter generously over the glued area while the glue is still wet.

3. Remove all excess glitter. Gently shake off extra glitter. To keep the remaining glitter in place, spray on a light coat of clear sealant. Or if you’re out of sealant, use a light coat of clear fingernail polish. Allow your sandals to dry, and admire your new glitzy footwear.

Next up, Grace from Stripes and Sequins turned beige Toms into hot pink stripy statement shoes.

Here’s how she did it.

1. Gather your materials. You’ll need a pair of plain old Toms, neon fabric paint (the pair shown used Simply Screen’s neon pink paint), painter’s tape, and a paint brush.

2. Apply the tape in stripes. The pair shown uses vertical stripes on the back and diagonal stripes on the front to complement the stitching and design of the shoe. Make sure the tape is securely adhered to the shoe with no gaps.

3. Paint the canvas. Using your brush, paint the exposed fabric of the shoe.

4. Allow your shoes to dry with the tape still on.

5. Remove the paint. And voila— your Toms are transformed.

Last but not least, Casey and Savannah from Oh So Pretty whipped up a pair of leather fringe wedges.

Their process was as follows.

1. Gather up supplies. You’ll need a pair of wedges, leather (or whatever material you’d like to use for the fringe), scissors, super glue, clothespins, and spray paint (if you need to match your fringe to your shoes).

1. Cut your leather into two rectangles. The pair shown uses rectangles that were approximately 6” x 8”. This measurement will depend on how much fringe you want around the back of your shoe, and on the size of the shoe itself.

2. Spray paint the leather. This step is optional, and only necessary if you’d like to match your fringe to your shoes, or change its color for any reason.

3. Apply the fringe. Once the paint is dry (and you really want to make sure it’s dry), super glue the square of leather to the top back of the shoe. Secure with clothespins.

4. Cut strips into the leather. Wait for the glue to have dried completely. You can make the strips as thin or as wide as you like. The wedges shown use thinner strips, and you could cut yours even thinner if you like. Then enjoy your newly fancified footwear.

Pippa Armbrester is a quilt maker and designer. Follow her adventures in quilting and life on her website.