Make Cozy Slippers In Just 1 Hour!

It’s freezing outside and I have a cosy project for you today! I made slippers and I didn’t buy anything to make them. You can use knit scraps or cut up an old sweater like I did. Reuse, upcycle, no waste, no costs.. YAY! And sewing fun and then … warm feet! These slippers also do great as a gift. Use your favorite fabric and colors. With these simple instructions, you can make them in all sizes! Getting the pattern right might take some extra time but once you have the pattern, it is possible to make these in an hour!

I always assumed that making anything shoe related would be difficult. But it wasn’t! This is a beginner proof project. An I’m very happy with the result. The right slipper is the 2nd slipper I made. I made it slightly thinner, added no seam allowance to the outer fabric, because the fabric was soo stretchy.

You Will Need

Thick, warm, soft fabric with some stretch like fleece, a heavy knit or wool or felt... for the lining and for the main fabric. Some stretch or elasticity is important when you choose the material.
Regular sewing tools: Sewing machine, scissors, pins, fabric marker, needle, threads
Pencil & paper
A foot :-)): You need the foot of the person who will be wearing these slippers to get the size right.

Some extras you can add to your slippers:

  • I used 4 little fabric cover buttons to embellish my slippers. This is completely optional.
  • If you want non-slip soles, you will need to look for non-skid or no-slip type fabric. Dritz has it, it is called Anti-Skid Gripper Fabric.
  • If you want some extra thickness in the sole, you can add a layer of felt, wool or batting between the lining and the outer fabric.

How to Make a Slipper Pattern

Drawing your own pattern allows you to make custom slippers in all sizes, for a child or an adult.

To make the sole pattern, trace your foot onto a piece of paper. A piece of newspaper is a great option. If the foot you are using is small enough, a piece of 8” x 10” will do here.

Then draw the pattern pieces for the upper part of the slipper, the 2 side pieces. Use the shape pictured below or print the pattern in my size (10.5) (download by clicking here  or at the end of this post). Make your pattern pieces shorter or longer for any other size. Try to draw the pieces like the shapes pictured. If you compare with the foot, the length of the side pieces is a little longer than the length of your feet.


The bottom seam of the side pieces (3) has to fit the sole outline. To get this right just make sure to cut these pieces long enough. You can adjust the length when you are assembling the pattern pieces and cut away the excess fabric. It’s better to cut the side pieces too long then too short.

Some measurements for the side pattern pieces for an adult
(1) toe seam = 4”
(2) heel seam = 2.5”
(3) foot seam = ½ length of your foot circumference


Cut out your pattern pieces with paper scissors.

Copy all 3 pieces onto your lining and cut them out. The outside of my lining, the part that will be wrapped around my foot, is the white side. The dark grey is the wrong side.

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Then put the pattern pieces on your main fabric, trace them and add 1/4” seam allowance. If your fabric has a lot of stretch (like my old green knit sweater), don’t make the seam allowance to big or the result will be too loose.

Be sure to have 2 soles for each foot and 2 pieces for each side part.
If you want some extra thickness in the sole, add a layer of felt or wool between the lining and the main fabric.

Assembling The Slipper

1. Take the 2 side pieces and, with the right sides together, pin the the toes seam (seam 1). Before sewing, make sure that you pin the right sides of the same foot together.

2. Pin one of the side pieces to one of the foot pieces to check the length of the upper pieces. Make sure that the pieces are for the same foot. When you’ve pinned the side piece all the way round to the sole, pin or mark the heel seam (seam 2). Keeping the heel seam pinned or marked, unpin the bottom edge from the sole. If you already tested your pattern, you can skip this step

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Step 2

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3. Sew the toe and the heel seam & trim the edges. For the lining, sew only the bottom half of the heel seam (the part closest to the sole). This will be your turning hole.
Repeat this step for the other 3 side pieces, 1 with lining & 2 with outer fabric.
You now have 4 upper parts (2 lining & 2 outer fabric)

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4. Pin each upper part to the matching sole, right sides together. Make sure the heel seam is in the middle of your heel :-). Sew 4 times all the way round the sole. Trim the seams closely.

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5. Put the lining and the outer fabric together (1 inside the other), right sides facing. Pin the 2 edges of the foot opening together. Sew all around. Do this for the 2 slippers.

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6. Turn the slipper inside out and close the inner heel seam with a hand stitch.. I used a ladder stitch. link

7. Optional: Assemble 2 little fabric buttons with the lining fabric and sew them onto your slipper. I made a tutorial about these fabric cover buttons a while ago. How do you like my slippers best? With or without the buttons? With or without topstitches?
Put your spin on it! The images below show the steps to attach a button.

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Step 2

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Step 4

That wasn’t so hard, was it?

Making slippers from old jumpers is very rewarding, beginner-friendly and environmentally-friendly. Make them for yourself or a loved one. If it is a surprise, you will have to figure out how to convince them to take a footprint without them knowing about your plans.
I’m very curious to see how you will make these slippers. What fabric you will use and how you will embellish them. Do send me a picture or share it on our Facebook Group or Instagram with the hashtag #madamsew!

If you’re stuck or have any questions or suggestions, don’t hesitate to send me an email: an@madamsew.com.

And enjoy your sewing adventures!

An
Sewing enthusiast and sewing blogger/vlogger for Madam Sew
I share all my projects on Instagram @an_madamsew

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