You will need:
- A pair of well fitiing shoes, clean of any dirt or waxes.
- About 25 to 30 cms fabric. Prints work best as they disguise any possible glue stains. If lighter fabric colours are to be used, start with light coloured shoes. Knit fabrics are easiest to work with.
- Clear drying glue such as Ponel wood glue.
- A sharp single edge razor or craft knife.
- A blunt knife or palette knife.
- A sponge in a small bowl of water.
- A hand towel.
Directions:
1. Cut two rectangles from the fabric, each big enough to drape over a shoe with about
7 to 10 cms excess right around.
2. Use the blunt knife, pushed in a few millimetres between the shoe sole and shoe
upper, to loosen the upper from the sole as well as from the heel.
3. Use your fingers to spread glue evenly on the shoe toe first, forcing some into the
gap between the sole and the upper. Squeeze your sponge to wash away excess
glue from your fingers as you go along. The towel is for drying your fingers.
4. Working with the fabric on the bias, stretch the fabric over the glued toe area. Use
the blunt knife to push the fabric into the gap between the sole and the upper.
5. Working toward the back and stopping at the point where the heel begins, continue
to glue and insert the fabric. Work in stages, with as much area as you can cope
with at a time.
6. Use the craft knife to slit the fabric up the middle of the shoe opening. Stop about
1,5 cms from the centre of the front curve of the shoe opening.
7. At the back of the shoe, insert fabric between heel and upper as for front, stopping
about 2 cms from the centre back on each side.
8. Trim the fabric at the centre back, cutting parallel to the centre back seam of the
shoe, and allowing a margin of about 8 mm at each edge.
9. Smoothly glue one side, overlapping the centre back seam. On opposite side, fold
under the margin allowed, and glue down, so that fold lies on centre back seamline.
10. Use the blunt knife to complete tucking the fabric in between the heel and the
upper, over the lapped area.
11. Trim the fabric around the shoe opening, allowing a 1,5 cm margin to fold over the
edges into shoe inside. Notch the edge so that it lies flat and smooth, before
glueing to inside.
12. Follow all the steps above for the other shoe, while first shoe's glue dries.
13. On first shoe, use the craft knife to carefully cut away the excess fabric right around
the shoe. Cut 2 cms at a time, right at the sole edge, gently pulling away the
excess fabric as you cut.
14. Spread glue evenly over heel. Position a rectangle of leftover fabric over heel with
bias across heel. When satsified with the lie of the fabric, use the blunt knife to
tuck fabric between heel and upper.
15. Allow heel to dry (about 10 to 15 minutes). Use the craft knife to trim away excess
fabric, evenly with the heel edges.
16. Repeat for opposite shoe.
17. Any excess glue can be carefully wiped away using a damp sponge.
Decoratives:
Glitter, fabric paint, bows or other decorative may easily be added. Sequens or other items may be glued to the shoe using Ponel or a contact adhesive - fabric allows a good bond, compared with leather.
Enjoy!