HOWTO knit new uppers for your Converse
Livejournal's Snuffykin followed the plans in Craft magazine to replace the uppers on her worn-out shoes with knitted versions. The newly remade Converse kick all kinds of ass.
Link (via Craft)
The shoe part:
* I cut the uppers and tongues off of Champion flat tops, then put several layers of gesso on the surfaces to whiten them up. I finished this with a few coats of matte sealer.
* Heavy duty yarn is hard to find. I found it at Joann Fabrics, finally. * Since the Champion shoe material was leather and not fabric like Converse, a sewing needle didn't go through easily. I used a bookbinding awl to punch holes through the layers of leather around the sole before sewing. Still, it was tricky.
* The Champion heel was shorter than the Converse heel, so I seamed the pieces rising above short heel.
* Running out of time, I sewed using running stitch, which actually holds up.The results:
The shoes are wearable, walkable, but floppy. Partly because the heel is too short. I could have just followed the instructions for a size 8 for a more snug fit. They're messy looking, due to my rush to finish, but I'm not going to change a thing. I never wore those shoes anymore, but now they're just for special occasions. :)
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Well, if these weren't ugly as sin, I'd still have no use for them as my soles tend to wear out quicker than my tops.
I wonder if you could make these from recycled-plastic-grocery-bag yarn. It wouldn't be terribly attractive, but they'd be durable and completely recycled. Might make good shoes to muck around in the yard with.
Alternatively, I crocheted my dad a pair of slippers from Lion Suede -- doubled -- and they are pretty sturdy. Or you could just go to the hardware store and get a length of twine. Annie Modesitt knits lace replacement lawn chair seats from twine, I don't see why one couldn't knit shoes the same way.
U.G.L.Y.
YOU AIN'T GO NO ALIBI
What EH said.Really.
Ok, I read the Craft article, and in defense of the idea, they really did look good when made with actual beat up Converses . . . I just don't think the leather works with the knitting
I say they're made of win. Bizarre is good.
There was a pattern in the new KnitKnit book for something like this, but with high heels as the base. They actually looked awesome - easily the coolest thing in the whole book.
I also think they're full of win.
Hmmm... I think I'd like this better if it were done with a finer yarn and a tighter gauge. (And not variegated, but that's just me.) Clever idea, though.