Molly's Sketchbook: Felt Button Slippers

We have been talking about making slippers from this thick felt for a little while since it's thick enough to be used as a sole. Page and I were discussing slipper shapes and ways to put them together when it struck us that we could make each slipper out of a single piece of felt with almost no sewing required. We decided to add on a bright felt button for a fun bit of color and voila, these slippers were born! I am a huge fan projects like this, a clear simple idea that comes together in a flash so I'm really excited to share these. --Molly

Materials

To make one pair of slippers

• Two 12-inch squares of 5mm Natural Wool Felt
• One packet of two Large Felt Buttons in Green
• Yellow Tailor's Chalk
• 100% cotton thread in colors 1140 (ecru) and 7880 (kelly green)
• A Felt Slipper Template, download and print at this link, tape together, and cut out

Note: These slippers were made to fit a size 8 1/2 woman's foot. You can shrink or blow up the pattern to get the size you want on a copy machine.

Cutting

Trace the template onto one of the felt pieces with the tailor's chalk.

Carefully cut out the shape.

Repeat for the second slipper.

Flip one of the shapes over and orient it so that you have a left and a right slipper. The  foot shape of the left slipper will curve slightly to the right and the right slipper will curve slightly to the left as shown above.

Finishing the Slippers

For the left slipper lay the left flap over right flap with a 3-inch overlap. Pin the flaps in place with their sides lining up on top of one another. Try on the slipper and tighten or loosen the flaps as necessary.

Sew the flaps to one another with a few tacking stitches at the point where you will place your button using the ecru thread.

Then, to secure the flaps together take a shallow stitch from the inside of the top flap at the middle of the overlap. This stitch should just stay within the width of the felt, and not poke through to the other side of the felt.

Then take the same kind of shallow stitch from the other flap. Pull the thread and the stitches should pull the flaps together and be invisible. Stitch around the perimeter of the overlap with these kind of invisible stitches securing the flaps together.

Place one of the buttons in the middle of the flaps and sew it on through both flap layers using the kelly green thread.

To make the right slipper repeat this process but place the right flap over the left in the first step and you'll be all done!