Two Left Feet?

Do you remember a month or so ago I started to learn about felt making?

What great fun we had!

I decided to take some of the felt I made and fashion a pair of slippers.

When I told Pete, he said, "Why not? Can't dance, may as well make shoes."

First I wanted to make a pattern... I have difficulty finding shoes that fit. I thought if I made my own they would be more comfortable.

So I started by finding an old pair of socks and putting them on. I stood (to have my weight evenly distributed) while a friend wrapped duct tape around my feet over the socks.

Then we used a marker to draw around the bottom for the soles and draw the center line on the foot top and heel.

When we cut the sock/tape slippers off, we cut on the marked lines so we could make a paper pattern.

My duct tape sock...

After I got the pattern finished, I got out some green/blue-colored felt I had just finished. Originally, I thought of making green shoes with blue inside, and then I thought it would be fun to have them both colors ... so I flipped the felt this way and that and traced the patterns. And I actually remembered to add the seam allowance!

The soles and sides...

Pete wandered in and suggested using a piece of an old fire hose for the very bottom. Brilliant. I cut that out too!

Since this was my first pair, I knew that later I might make some with leather bottoms. Or perhaps try a variety of materials to see what would work best.

I felt rather smug with myself when I remembered to cautiously mark which piece went where and on which foot. This was going so smoothly for my first pair of felt slippers!

I used some shoemakers' silk to sew them all together using a blanket stitch. I double-checked several times to ensure I had all the parts in the right places.

Sewing together the left slipper...

Finishing the left, I started the right slipper, I turned it over to check again. As I started to sew the sole on I decided it wasn't right. I took out the stitches and flipped the sole over and sewed it down!

Ever so pleased with myself, when I completed the last stitch, I ran downstairs to show Pete.

"How do they fit?" He asked.

The left fit perfectly. When I put on the right, I discovered I had sewn the sole on upside-down... essentially making two left slippers.

My two left feet...

"OH! I even took it apart once to change it! And here I was feeling so smug. Rats!" I whined. "I hate spending so much time on something and having to redo it."

Pete chuckled, "I guess you still can't dance... how about a hug before you fix them?"

Ever my staunch supporter.