(WARNING: My internet decided that it hates me and won’t let me upload photos. :,( I will keep trying to get them posted, but I wanted to get this tutorial out there as soon as possible.)
Sometimes there are cosplays where the shoes are so unique that it is impossible to find them in stores (especially if you have an small foot like me.) Therefore, you’re best choice is to make/customize/edit (I can’t think if the correct word TT.TT) shoes that you can buy in stores. There are many ways to do this, such as painting the shoes, adding extra details, etc. One way to get the most out of the shoes, is to find one that will work for many different cosplays and make removable boot covers.
(I use the same boots for my Voltron Armor as well as my Raven from Teen Titans cosplays. I just have interchangeable boot covers.)
Easy Boot Covers:
Level: Basic sewing skills
Price: depends on the fabric and the shoes. Mine cost me around $20, because I had to buy the shoes. (Always look for sales!!)
Time: 1-2 hours at most
Materials: a 4 way stretch fabric in the color/s you need, thread to match the fabric, fold over bias tape, elastic, hot glue gun, a pair of boot/shoes, sewing machine, straight pins, and a marker.
Steps:
1.) Tracing out design. Lay out fabric (folded with ‘correct’ sides together.) Lay out shoe on the fabric and trace around it (If the cover needs to extend the boot cover past the shoes, then measure the circumference and length of your leg and trace it too.) Add about 1/4-1/2 inch seam allowance. Pin the pattern and cut it out. (You can always put the shoe on and then drape the fabric to pin it into the shape you need, but I don’t trust myself to put pins that close to my legs.)
2.) Sewing: Sew one side of the cover using a zig-zag stitch. Unfold it and pin the bias tape to the bottom of the cover (This will help prevent too much wear and tear from walking.) Leave about 1/4 inch hanging off the ends for when you fold the pattern back together. Fold over the top about 1/4 inch to make a clean seam and prevent fraying. Sew the bias tape and the top seam. Line up, pin, and sew the last side. Try it on the shoe. If it fits, then trim the remaining seam. If not, adjust as needed.
3.) Bottom of the cover: There are two ways to do this. You can either trace out a fabric cover and sew it to the rest of the cover, or you can use elastic. The fabric cover makes it all one color and style, but it will wear out faster, therefore needing to be replaced periodically.
To do the elastic: Put the cover on the shoe and then measure out how much elastic you will need. I place elastic at three spots, the front near the toe, near the middle of the arch, and the heel. Cut and burn the ends of the elastic (to prevent fraying) and sew it onto the shoe.
4.) Traction: With either method for the bottom of the shoe, you lose traction. Once again there is many ways to add traction to your shoes. A less permanent way is to spray the bottom of the shoe with hair spray, but this will wear off throughout the day or come off it if gets wet. Another way is to add little hot glue drops onto the bottom of the fabric/onto the elastic. This gives the shoe some more texture and the plastic hot glue will not slip on the floor as much as the fabric.
