Slippers from jeans. DIY tutorial

 

No-Socks Slipper-Mocs.  It's time to sew yourself warm slippers in the form of moccasins, from unnecessary old jeans pants.

I am so excited to share with you a tutorial on how to make these simple, cozy, moccasin- style slippers... a perfect gift idea for Christmas for your husbands/ fathers/ sons/ brothers/ friends!  Of course, you can use more feminine fabric and make these for the women in your life too!

Slippers from jeans. DIY tutorial

For work you will need jeans, artificial fur, any material for soles and threads with needles

You can use this pattern, increasing it to the size of your foot.

 

The basic slippers are made from just two pattern pieces.  It doesn't get much simpler than that!  Let's get started.

Click to download the 4T pattern

  Make Your Pattern

I am sharing the pattern I made for my son (approximately size 4T- click the picture above to download), but you'll have to make your own pattern for any other sizes you might need.  Don't worry; it isn't hard- here's how.

 

Sole Piece

 
1. Grab a piece of paper large enough to fit your food and then some.
 

2. Trace your foot ("your" foot meaning whatever foot you want to make these slippers for!)
 

3. Round out the toes.
 

4. Measure and mark 3/4" to 1.5 inches out from the toes (the smaller measurement for kid sizes, the larger for adult sizes).  Draw a line 1/2" to 1 inch behind the heel.  Draw a 2" to 3+" line extending out at about a 170 degree angle (again, depending on if it is child sized, or adult sized).  You may need to experiment a little to get the kind of fit you like.

 

5. Measure and mark 1"- 1.5" out from the widest part of the foot, and connect to the 2" line you just drew.
 

6. Following the contour of the toe, draw a curve connecting the three measurements you have marked out.

Upper Piece

7. For child sizes, draw a 3.5" line, with perpendicular lines on the top and bottom- the top line measuring 2.75", and the bottom line measuring 3".
 

8. Connect the lines to make a trapezoid, then round out the corners as shown above.

 

The picture above shows the abbreviated process for making an adult- sized slipper- for the gals.  The upper piece above includes an option for a longer upper that can be folded up to get the effect shown in the gal's slipper picture at the top. 

 For men's sizes, I would use the upper range of the measurements listed above, and make the sole piece at least 4" wide depending on the foot measurement.

Gather Materials

 

 

 

Pattern pieces, fabric (I recommend something heavy duty, like an old pair of jeans), scraps of faux- sherpa (or other suitable lining), and fabric of your choice to reinforce the soles (this is optional, but it will really lengthen the life of the slippers.  Alternatively, you can put puffy paint or something on the soles to give it grip and make it last longer), pins, scissors, sewing machine.

 I made this pair of slippers for my 2 year old, and I already had this anti- skid gripper fabric, so I went ahead and used it for him.  You could obviously use any other material you wanted, including another layer of denim, perhaps with puff paint on the bottom.

Cut Out Pieces

 

Cut two each of the sole and the upper in both fabric and lining.  If you are using denim, decide if you like the look of right side in, or right side out better.  

Make sure you are cutting out a left and a right foot- flip the pattern or fold the fabric to get two opposite feet.  Also, if you wish, use the tracing of the foot that will be wearing the slippers, and round out the toes a tiny bit to come up with your pattern for the sole reinforcement piece.

Assemble Sole

1. If you are adding a sole reinforcement piece, pin it onto the right side of the fabric, with the heel of the reinforcement piece almost touching the back edge of the fabric.

2. Sew the reinforcement piece down using a wide zig zag stitch.

3. Sew the matching lining fabric onto the sole piece, wrong sides together.  See my skillfully drawn dotted lines on picture 3 above? Sew around the sole piece as shown, from one corner to another, with a 1/4" seam allowance.

4. Sew the back heel seam by matching up the side corners, lining sides facing each other.  Yes, the seam will be "inside out".

5. Sew the upper of the lining to the upper of the fabric, wrong sides together. (pictured below)

Attach Upper to Sole

 

 

First, pin the middle of the top of the upper to the middle of the top of the sole piece, as shown.

 

1. Working from the middle, make small, even gathers, pinning after each one.

2. Do the same number of gathers on each side.  Try to make sure they are all the same size.

3. This is what the top looks like.  Stop pinning right before the upper piece starts to curve in.

4. Carefully sew the upper to the sole piece, sewing on top of the existing stitching on the upper piece.

Finishing Touches

You could be done now if you want- the raw edge has its own appeal, especially for the grown-up guys; continue if you like the fluffy edge going around the heel.

1. Cut a strip of your lining fabric that extends all the way around the heel from one side of the upper to the other.  Fold it over the raw edge.

2. Pin the strip at intervals and sew in place.

3. Trim the raw edges so they are even- the strip you just sewed and also the gathered area around the toes.

And, repeat from the beginning for the other slipper! 

 

 

Now you've got some pretty dude-ly moccasin slippers (or sweet, if you made 'em for a gal).  Either way, they are sure to keep toes toasty and happy!  Happy slipper sewing!