Toddler shoes

I found an excellent pattern for baby shoes and modified it a bit for a toddler. The free pattern, along with video demonstration, is available here. The original tutorial uses fusible tape to hold most of the shoe together. My approach was a little different and involved more machine sewing.

Materials:

Wool-blend felt

2 shoelaces
Thread
4 eyelets
Fusible tape (Optional. May be used to fuse inner and outer pieces together before sewing. I pinned my pieces together)

Measure the child's foot, adding approximately 1/2" to the pattern. For example, if their foot is 4" long (heel to toe), enlarge the pattern to 4 1/2". Trace pattern onto your fabric and cut out.

Pin the cuff accent onto cuff; Sew around edge of cuff accent, affixing it to cuff.

Pin together the main body pieces (2 for each shoe). I used brown for the inner piece and tan for the outer piece. Cut along dotted lines to form the tongue of the shoe. Sew inner and outer pieces together along top edge and around tongue (shown below in purple.)

Pattern from marthastewart.com

Next, sew the toe piece onto the end of the main body. You only need to sew along the upper curve. Pin cuffs to main body, aligning the top edge of the cuff (shown above in green) with the top of the shoe (purple). Turn the body of the shoe inside out, with the back edges touching (blue). Pin together and sew along edge.

Pin sole to body of shoe, wrong sides together. Machine stitch together. Turn shoe right side out and check seams. You're almost finished!

The last step is to add the eyelets for the shoe laces. I wrapped the cuffs snuggly around the front of the shoe and marked where I wanted the eyelets to go. Using a Crop-A-Dile, I punched a hole through the cuff and set each eyelet.  I chose a short pair of shoelaces and cut them to length. Then I tied the ends off in a knot and melted them slightly to keep them from fraying.

These shoes are a gift for a special little boy on his first birthday!