Sandal Making

for Beginners
A complete guide
to making sandals
from home

Enter >
 This eBook is copyright 2011 by
I CAN make shoes
www.icanmakeshoes.com >>

ISBN number: 978-1-907520-03-7

eBook publishing and design by:

www.andwhat.co.uk >>

Photography by :
Chris Brazel
christopherbrazel@hotmail.com >>

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Introduction Contents
Welcome to I CAN make shoes. Click to skip to section
The place where dream shoes are made,
by hand, from home. Your new shoedrobe
starts here! Supplies >> 4

In this interactive eBook ‘Sandal Making for What you will need >> 5
Beginners’ you will learn how to use simple
techniques to make your own pair of sandals Step 1 - insoles >> 6
(pictured below) from home.
Step 2 - straps >> 12
We encourage you to try out different styles
and be creative with your straps. Step 3 - soles >> 20

Finished >> 25

Strap patterns >> 26

Insole/sole pattern >> 27

Other sandal styles >> 28

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Supplies Feedback
There are a few basic materials needed, Please send any thoughts/feedback to:
most of which you can find from local info@icanmakeshoes.com >>
haberdashery or craft shops.

Other key materials such as soles, insoles

and shoe glue are available from our
Click to: Click to:
online shop at:
Join us on Facebook >> Follow us on Twitter >>
www.icanmakeshoes.com/shop >>

Please note that leather materials are used

throughout this book, but this method of
sandal making can be done with a range of
materials to suit your taste or scrap box!

We encourage you to experiment and would love

to see your creations. Please share your results
by posting pictures to our twitter or email
them to:

info@icanmakeshoes.com >>

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What you will need

2 3 4

7
6
8 10 11

1. Shoe glue and brush (brush in tin) 5. Insoles (Texon board) 9. 2 x buckles
2. Soles (Rubber stick on soling) 6. Foam inserts (Craft foam) 10. Small hole punch
3. Insole material (leather) 7. Silver pen 11. Strong masking tape
4. Material for straps (leather) 8. Pair of strong scissors
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Step One - insoles
1.1 Patterns for the insoles are
available on page 27 >>

Using the guidelines, cut your

insoles to the desired size.

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1.2 Glue the foam insert onto the insole by
applying a thin even amount of glue to the 1.2
outlined area.

1.3 Also apply a thin even amount of glue to

the foam insert.

You want this glue to almost completely dry

before you join the two glued surfaces.

HELPFUL TIP:
The glue is a rubber solvent so it only sticks 1.3
to itself. This is why you need to apply it on
both surfaces that you want to stick together.

The glue sticks better when it is tacky or

almost completely dry.

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1.4 Trace around your insoles onto the
underside of your leather. Leave about a 1cm
extra folding allowance around the whole area.
Then cut out.

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1.5 Apply a thin even amount of glue to whole
1.5
top surface of the insole.

1.6 Then apply a thin even amount of glue to

the underside side of your insole material.

Wait for the glue to become tacky.

1.7 Place the insole face down onto the glued

surface of your insole material.

1.8 Once you have joined the pieces, smooth

over the area with your fingertips.

HELPFUL TIP:
Make sure you cover the entire surface of 1.6 1.7
both parts, and remember tackier glue =
stronger hold.

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 1.8 While evening out, make sure there
are no air bubbles in the gap between
the foam and the insole.

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1.9 Turn the insole over and apply a thin
even amount of glue just around the 1.9
edge of the insole.

1.10 When the glue is tacky, fold the

excess material over and stick it down
so that you have perfectly covered the
insole.

1.11 Use your thumbs to create small

pleats in the material around the toe and
heel areas of the insole.

HELPFUL TIP:
Try to keep the pleats as far away from
the edge of the insole as possible, this
1.10 1.11
will prevent a bumpy edge line.

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Step Two - straps
2.1 Patterns for the straps are available
on page 26/27 >>

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2.2 Using the patterns provided, trace your
straps onto the underside of your leather. 2.2
Remember to do 2 of each, one for the left
foot and one for the right foot, and mark
them accordingly.

IMPORTANT HELPFUL TIP:

It is very important that once you cut out a
full set, you flip your patterns upside down
to get a full set of straps for the opposite
foot. Otherwise you will end up making
two left feet..

2.3 When cutting out your patterns try to 2.3

be as neat as possible, you want to avoid
jagged edges.

HELPFUL TIP:
Use a thick leather for a raw edge look.
Or for a more professional finish to your
straps you can stitch together two pieces of
softer leather.

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2.4 Whilst standing on your insole, position
your straps on the foot in the desired position.

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2.5 With your foot inside, fold the straps
(one at a time) underneath the insole so
that they fit you snugly, then mark on the
insole where you want the straps to go.
(You may need a friend to help you at this
stage).

2.6 Once you have marked all of your strap

positions onto the insole, you can glue them
in place.

HELPFUL TIP: You want the straps to fit

you snugly at this stage, depending on the
material they may stretch slightly in time.

2.5

2.6 2.6 2.6

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 2.7 On back strap A (the shorter of the two)
you will need to attach your buckles.

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2.8 Punch a small hole about 5mm into
the thinner section, and then thread your
buckle through the strap.

2.9 To secure the buckle, apply a small

amount of glue to the back of the thin side
of the strap, and do the same beneath the
buckle on the thicker part of the strap.

2.10 Once the glue has become tacky fold

the thin part of the strap onto the thicker
part and squeeze together.

HELPFUL TIP:
Remember the buckle goes on the shorter 2.8
of the two back straps. You want the buckle
to end up on the outside of the ankle.

This can get confusing so try practising on

the paper pattern first.

2.9 2.10

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2.11 When positioning your back straps
remember that they should be on a slight
backward pointing angle so that they wrap
neatly around the ankle. Trace in position
before gluing.

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2.12 The inside strap should be slightly
shorter, so it wraps around the back of the 2.12
ankle and sits on the outside of the foot.

Using the same technique as your front

straps make sure you measure the strap to
reach the outside of your ankle snugly, and
mark its position underneath the insole.

2.13 The outside strap should be long enough

to wrap around the whole ankle from the
back, and do up on the outside of the foot.

Fold the straps underneath the insole and 2.13

glue in place from your markings.

HELPFUL TIP:
To make sure your positioning is perfect,
double check your strap positions by doing
them up on the foot before gluing them onto
the insole.

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 Step Three - soles
3.1 Patterns for the soles are
available on page 27 >>

Using the guidelines, cut your

soles to the desired size.

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3.2 Trim any pleated pieces of material
from the bottom of the insole to minimize
bulk.

3.3 Apply an even amount of glue to the

entire smooth side of the sole, right up to
the edge.

3.4 Then apply an even amount of glue to

the entire underside of the insole, right up
to the edge.

Wait for the glue to go tacky or almost

completely dry.

3.2
HELPFUL TIP:
Make sure you get the glue right up to the
edge of the soles and insoles, you don’t
want to have any unstuck gaps when you
stick them together.

3.3 3.4

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3.5 Slowly stick the sole to the insole.
Start by lightly joining the heel section
together.

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3.6 Then lightly join the toe area, keeping
a gap in the middle. 3.6

3.7 Once you have lined up the front and

back perfectly you can squeeze together
the sides of the shoes.

3.8 Once the sole is in position, give them

a tight all over squeeze.

HELPFUL TIP:
Make sure you especially squeeze in the
gap where the edge of the straps are
sandwiched between the sole and insole.
3.7 3.8

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3.9 Finally punch holes evenly along
the thin ends of the long strap, to fit
your ankles.

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Well done!

You have just made your

own sandals, now go and
show them off!

Now you’ve mastered

this pair get creative and
try with different styles, see
last page for a few examples.

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 back to Step 2 >>
Front Strap A

Back Strap A

(*)
Back Strap B

(*) See next page

Front Strap B

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Strap patterns (previous page) Insole Pattern (this page)
(*) Extend straps as long as you need them, to wrap around Please note, use this pattern for your
your ankles snugly. Make the paper pattern extra long and soles as well. Flip the pattern upside
then cut it down to size, making sure you leave enough down to get the left and right feet.
excess to fold underneath your insole board.
back to Step 1 >>
HELPFUL TIP:
Make sure you print patterns A4 at 100% back to Step 3 >>
(most printers default to ‘fit to screen’
which will make pattern too small)

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 For more patterns
and ideas go to:
www.icanmakeshoes.com >>

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