Make your own shoes to complete your costume

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Having the right shoes to complete your cosplay is quite important, right?

Because it spoils the picture a bit if you have a great suit, but your shoes don't match, you know. 

There are several styles of boots and shoes that are quite easy to find (or to prepare from something you can find in stores). There are also all kinds of techniques for covering shoes. But, making your own boots, from scratch, that's cool too.

That's why I developed a pattern for soft boots to help you complete your medieval-looking costumes.

The medieval boots bundle includes 6 templates, to give you tons of style choices. But they're all on the same base, so you can interchange looks easily. 

 

But, is it comfortable?

For real, yes! It feels like a slipper. 🙂

Ok, it's not an orthopedic shoe with the plantar support of the gods, but it faces off really well against a small summer shoe with a flat sole.

The trick is to make sure you add a good insole.

First, at least, I recommend putting a piece of 6mm EVA foam inside (if you don't know EVA foam, see my article about it). But if you want even more comfort, add a shaped insole. This is the one I chose: 

I also propose, a small optional addition for those who need a little extra for the heel

And is it sturdy?

That will depend on you and your choice of fabric. The part that is most likely to take a hit is the seams and the underside.

Choose a good thread. You can even go over your seams twice, to be sure.

And to make sure you don't go through the sole in record time, I recommend a rubber outsole. I chose this: 

It's good, because it comes in sheets. So you can cut the shape you need. It gives more rigidity to the bottom of your boot, and it protects the fabric (and your foot).

What should I use for fabrics?

There are several things that work well. But in general, my favorite material is faux leather upholstery with a bit of stretch. We are talking about 15% extensibility.

It's holding up really well. It sews quite easily. And the stretch adds comfort (and simplifies the fit). In addition, it is quite robust as a fabric.

However, it is possible to use something else too. In that case, it might be better to add a lining to your boot. Don't worry, I'll walk you through it too: 2 of the 4 models included in the bundle have lining, you can refer to them (no matter which model you choose to do) to see how to proceed.

 

Ok, how do I choose my size? Usually, it's hard to find a shoe that fits...

 

My pattern is available in 13 sizes. for feet 8.5" to 12.5" long.

In Euro size, that means sizes 35 to 47. In US, it's 4 to 16 for women or 2 to 14 for men. It gives you a wide enough range, right?

And there's even a printable size chart that comes with the patterns. This way, you can see the shape of the shoe, and choose the size that best suits your foot.

And for the rest, it's like any other pattern. I recommend that you do a test mock up, and check if your size suits you, if the shape is good, or if you need to make small adjustments.

 

I hope this inspires you to try making your own shoes!

 

And if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to let me know.

 

So, what project are you thinking of making your own shoes for?

 

🤓✂🐙

 

* photo credit: Photo © BWitching Studio