I’m a recent convert to Martha Stewart Living. It’s pretty great. Judge me if you will.
Last week the December holiday issue came in and I was enchanted (yes, enchanted) by this felt slipper project in the handmade gifts feature.
So cute, right? Not even considering to do this as a Christmas gift, I selfishly needed a pair of these ASAP for my own feet. I ordered the suggested 3mm felt from filzfelt.com for $20, as recommended by Martha’s peeps. This really wouldn’t work with regular craft felt. The rigidity of the thick 100% wool felt holds up the structure of the slipper.
I chose this mustard yellow color. I don’t know why. But it matches the rug in the office, apparently.
It wasn’t until I had cut out the little template pattern that I remembered something important. I’m terrible at sewing things, and I kind of hate doing it.
Oops.
But I sucked it up, and just started in on the simple stitches around the edge of the cut pattern. It’s really very simple, if you’re patient and take a little extra care to keep your stitches nice and even.
By the end of the day, I had not just two, but three sewn felt slippers:
Three? Yeah, three. The first one that I made was way too small. I could kind of shoehorn my foot in there, but it gave me sausage-foot and was cutting off the circulation to my toes.
So with a zen-like calmness, I started over. And #2 and #3 came out much better-fitting. Plus that first throwaway one helped me realize the ideal length/distance for the stitches, so the second try was much neater and more even.
Before starting, I had it in my head that the contrasting thread color was the way to go. But that was before I considered my child-level sewing skillz. So in retrospect, if I had chosen a yellow or lighter colored thread, I think they’d look a little more polished, maybe a little more “handmade” and a little less “homemade”.
But I’ll tell you what… they’re cozy as all hell. Seriously, they’re super soft. And because they’re pretty snug fitting, it kind of feels like a big wooly sock.
These would be cute and easy to do in little kid sizes, but I think the pattern is a little too dainty for the mens sizes. Also, if you plan on making these, I would recommend being generous with the size of your pattern. I usually wear a size 7.5 shoe, and my first way-too-small attempt was cut according to the women’s size 8 from the printed chart on MarthaStewart.com. I don’t have unusually wide feet, but the original pattern wasn’t wide enough at all to fit me.
They are pretty slippery on the wood floors, too. There’s probably something I could put on the bottom to make them more non-slip, but I’m not sure what. I’d say you should definitely look into that if you’re doing kids’ sizes.
escape from bk 
My daughter and I trying to make these for Christmas but are having troubles making the right size template and sewing the heal? Can you help? Do you have any step by step photos? Thanks
Welcome to the dark side.
@Connie- it was a little tricky to enlarge the template. I printed out the small template from marthastewart.com and used the copy machine at work to enlarge it a bit. It was just eyeballed to the right size, and as I mentioned, the first one I made was way too small. Be sure to be generous with the width.
a cheap way to create non-slip is to smear (smere? I’m dutch, shoot me) a layer of what we here call “silicon kit” on the soles. It is stuff used to create waterbarriers arounds sinks and bathtubs and such. Costs absolutely nothing.
You can put on dollops (again, shoot me, I’m dutch) as spikes on footballshoes, or smere a layer on with a paintmixing stick thing (shoot me etc).
I do this on my home made felted slippers, it works really good!
Collateral advantage ( if you get my drift, s.m., i.d.) is that allllll the kitty’s hair will stick to it, so you end up being your own swiffer. Ain’t that great!!
So helpful! Thanks so much for the post; I found Martha a bit lacking in the details.
I tried to make these according to the martha stewart website. sizing is WAY off! I ended up tracing my foot and using that as a guide to make my own template that was about the same looking as the one on the website. I already wasted so much felt with cutting it way too small. In the end, I ended up doing mine with a sewing machine and turning them inside out so the stitching doesnt show. I also added no slip grippy stuff (like you see on kid’s footie pajamas) to the bottoms. Once you get the sizing right, these are quick and simple to make.
I’m so glad you did a post on this, Martha’ take on it is very vague (hence why I may do some of her projects, but I’ll never convert to the dark side! No judgement of course.-^_^-). These slippers are too cute to not attempt and now I think I will. Thanks!
Is there any other fabric you suggest without ordering it online?
@Allie- I don’t think it would work with regular craft felt or anything you could find at an ordinary craft store. If you live in a bigger city maybe a more industrial fabric store would carry 3mm felt in store. If you could find an old wool army blanket at a thrift store, I think that would also work great.
I’m glad I found your post because I want to make a pair for a present. Did you use just one piece of felt?
I’ve made several pairs of these slippers now and have used the 20% wool/80% polyester felt purchased at the local fabric store. I lined them with coordinating heavy fleece or microfleece. For example, on one pair I used black felt and lined with fleece leopard skin print. I used a common blanket stitch to join the lining to the felt on the cuff and the straight line where the slipper goes across the arch of your foot. The effect is beautiful. You do have to remember that the “right side” for the lining is the inside of the slipper. Hot glue pressed firmly onto the bottoms, perpendicular to the the length of the slipper, makes a great anti-skid base. I just finished a pink pair with pink and gray camoflauge lining for my grandaughter…adorable! The best way to size these is to measure the foot they are going on and add your seam allowances…they do stretch some once they’re worn. It also helps to dut the opening a little larger than the pattern shows for easier wearing. After you’ve made a few pairs, it’s very logical and easy to do.
So cute! You might want to try using puffy fabric paint on the bottom of the slippers to make them non-slip… Do you think the slippers would turn out well if you fused some cozy material (fleece or fur?) to felt?
CAn you tell me the best way to make a pattern so the slippers will fit. I tried my first pair last night per Martha’s instructions and they are way to small. Wasted that fabric:0
Thanks Angela
So cute! I just made a pair too 🙂
The size chart is wacky – probably just going to trace actual feet for this project… although that cancels any element of surprise!!
I appreciate the clarity of your directions! I have a tutorial on my blog
http://simpleshoemaking.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/new-page-tutorial-how-to-make-the-side-seam-moccasin-boot/ that shows how to transform this slipper into a boot, and have linked to your site. I hope you will find it of interest, any feedback is welcome!
Thank you for your awesome explanation! I am going to get started on these for everyone for NEXT year!
Can you tell me please if the 18 x 18 makes one slipper or two? And can a 12 x 12 felt make one slipper? I can get 12 x 12 pieces locally. Thanks!
@Hanson I only ordered one 18×18″ square of felt. Somehow I managed to get 3 slippers out of it (but the first one was very small. To be safe I would buy 2 12×12″ squares to make one pair.
Thank you! Going to make a pair today! Also FYI eBay has 3 mm 12 x 12 sheets cheap! Coming from china if you do not mind the wait! Lots of colors too…
On another note.. I love the name of hour web page… My hubby’s initials are BK!! 🙂
I did make a pair this past weekend…according to Martha’s Size Chart, what I thought was a women’s size 6, my 11 year old daughter is wearing and she wears a kids size 3! Will have to play around to get the sizes right.
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