Besides the sunshine and warm weather itself there’s really one forerunner when it comes to naming our very favourite thing about summer; we simply love finally being able to whip off our socks and shoes for a long period of time and enjoy wearing sandals so that our toes feel free! Just because we love sandals, however, doesn’t mean we’re always out buying them. In fact, we tend to be so active in the summer that we usually walk right through our sandals before the season is through, so we actually tend to save money and get more out of our shoes when we make DIY sandals of our own.
Check out these 15 awesome and totally stylish DIY sandal tutorials and designs that will have you kick off your shoes and throwing your socks into the laundry before you’re even finished reading the entire post!
1. Ribbon and bow sandals
Do you have a favourite pair of store bought T-sandals that you’re just not willing to give up because they’ve hit that perfectly worn in stage where they fit just right and are comfortable, but you’d already worn them for a whole summer and now you wish you could switch the look up just a little bit? Well, that certainly doesn’t have to be a hard process, even if you really want the new look to be fresh and trendy. For example, check out how Swell Mayde made these T-sandals look good as new by adding a bow carefully crafted from ribbon.
2. Leather arrow sandals
Do you have an old pair of flip flops that you still find the soles of comfortable to walk in, but the toe straps either hurt you or have already worn through? Then harvest the bottoms of those sandals and put them to better use by following the steps in this leather sandal tutorial from Burda Style! We simply adore the way they embellished the look and gave the sandals some character by shaping one of the straps like an arrow.
3. Colourful fabric gladiator sandals
Are you usually a sewing enthusiast rather than a shoe maker so you have a big stash of scrap fabric that you’re able to pull from any time and always looking for things to make from the pile? In that case, we have a feeling you might appreciate these fabric strap sandals featured on Shelterness! Their tutorial shows you how to cut the fabric to the perfect length to make a gladiator sandal tie, as well as how to create perfectly fitting braided toe straps.
4. Friendship bracelet strap sandals
Are you totally find with the idea and feeling of foam flip flops when it comes to the foam bottom of the shoe itself but you find that those hard plastic toe straps tend to hurt you and maybe even cause cuts if you wear them for too long? Then this tutorial for replacing just the straps in a set of flip flops was basically made for you! Burda Style suggests creating new straps of your own using lengths of pretty ribbon or knotted friendship bracelets made from embroidery floss.
5. Funky fabric strap flip flops
Did you love the basic concept of the fabric sandal straps we showed you above but you’re just not sure that long woven strap style is quite the design for you? Then rejoice, because we’ve found a subtler alternative that’s made with a simpler technique (and uses less fabric). Check out how these simple toe straps were created for a plain foam flip flop bottom on Sassy Sanctuary.
6. Recycled flip flop gladiator sandals
Can you tell by now that we’re really fond of the idea of upcycling your old flip flops into new styles? Well, just in case you can’t, here’s another example of how to do so for you! We love the way Cut Out and Keep stuck to a simple felt string in a nice, neutral colour in order to create the wrapping ankle straps necessary for this particular gladiator inspired look.
7. Leather cut out heeled sandals
Have you been practicing working with leather, pleather, and other similarly think and shiny materialsand now you’re just trying to perfect the process of making certain things? Well, learning how to make shoes is certainly an important part of learning to work with leather, so try your hand at these adorable leather sandal heels from Class With Colour! The best part of these, of course, is the intricate cut out pattern all the way up the top of the foot. It’s the kind of visual detail that’s deceivingly easy to do but also impactful.
8. DIY sparkle flip flops
Maybe you’re looking to start very small in the DIY department and you’d rather just embellish the sandals you already have? In that case, learn how to add just a touch of glitz and glam by sparkling the straps of your flip flop sandals just like Fashion Provocateur did here!
9. Zipper flip flops
Did you really love the basic concept of replacing your flip flop straps with a softer material so your feet stay comfortable but you’d still prefer an edgier aesthetic when it comes to what you make the straps from? Then we definitely encourage you to check out these awesome zippered strap sandals from Shelterness! We can’t get over how cool it looks that the zipper opens out to span the top of your foot and keep the shoes on properly.
10. Leather fringe sandals
There are plenty of fringed sandal designs you’ll find in stores that are made from shiny hard leather, but what if you’d prefer something a little softer on your feet even though you love the neutral colour and stylish look of leather sandals? In that case, check out how Sincerely, Kinsey created these leather fringed sandals that are surprisingly simple and even more affordable than you might initially think.
11. Ribbon and pearl flip flops
Are you still stuck on the idea of embellishing your own store bought flip flops but you’re ready for something a little more challenging than just working with glitter and glue? Then you need to take a look at these absolutely stunning pearl beaded sandals by Trinkets in Bloom. We think it’s smart and contributes to the aesthetic that the pearls are sewn to a base made of woven ribbon!
12. Embroidery wrapped sandals
Do you actually have a pair of cute store bought sandals that you’ve already broken in and completely love, but you’ve just got this urge to liven the up at least a touch because you want to add a pop of colour? In that case, check out how Brit + Co. did just that in a really simple way by choosing bright shades and doing some embroidery wrapping to make a colour blocked effect!
13. Floral barefoot baby sandals
Barefoot sandals are amazing creations because they let you have pretty, decorative feet even in places where you wouldn’t normally wear shoes and don’t want to be rude. While we’ve definitely worn them befor as adults, we’re particularly fond of making them for babies because little ones kick their shoes off so often anyways. Check out how Sunshine Shoppe made these absolutely stunning baby barefoot sandals out of ribbon and layered material flowers!
14. Looping ribbon sandals
Do you have a pair of very plan sandal style heels that you love but that could use just a bit of a touch up in terms of visual texture? In that case, this looping layered ribbon from Duitang might be a little bit more your style! They show you exactly how to stack the loops so the ribbon kind of cascades down the top of the foot.
15. Studded strap sandals
Are you still looking for simple but ultra stylish ways of embellishing your previously purchased shoes but the ones we’ve shown you so far just haven’t quite held your attention? Then maybe these awesome studded T-sandals will appeal to you a little bit more! Brit + Co. shows you how to make it happen.
Do you know someone who loves making their own summer footwear and is always on the lookout for new designs each season? Share this post with them for a little bit of inspiration this year!
