Felt boots have been considered a fashion trend for Russian winter for five seasons now. This type of shoe is made from high quality sheep wool. These accessories are produced by felting and rolling wool fibers using special equipment.
High-quality products do not deform or become thinner during wear. They do not allow the foot to freeze at a temperature of -15 degrees. Proper care and cleaning of contaminated surfaces can extend the service life of these products.
In industrial production, three colors of these products are produced: black, white, gray. Finished products have the same appearance and level of instep.
Every modern fashionista prefers to stand out in everyday life. To do this, some prefer to use decorative details and elements that will add sophistication.
How can you decorate felt boots with your own hands? We present to your attention several ideas for decorating shoe accessories at home.
Ways to design shoes
How to decorate felt boots in an unusual way with your own hands? Experienced needlewomen identify several options that allow you to transform soft products:
Acrylic paints
Coloring compositions allow you to instantly transform any item and accessories. Modern paints can be used to decorate cotton fabric, plastic or paper.
When choosing a suitable composition, it is recommended to take into account the density of the material on which the decor will be produced.
Decorative embroidery
This type of design is a multi-layer application of silk threads on a fabric base.
The main advantage of this decor is its long-term use. The threads do not fade in the sun and do not lose their brightness when in contact with water.
Fur trim
This method of decoration requires financial investment. High-quality materials allow you to create exclusive accessories that can brighten up your everyday look. You can fix the fur elements using special glue.
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Jewelry made from beads and beads
Recently, this method has been considered quite popular among modern fashionistas. The finished result will not leave anyone indifferent. For this, glass beads and large beads are used.
For tight fixation, use a thin fishing line. Brilliant embroidery can transform any item or accessory. Thanks to this decor, the product acquires luxurious notes and sophistication.
Restoration of new shoes
From the tops of old sheep's boots you can make a seal for new products. As a result, the new felt boots will have a high-quality and stable sole, which means that the product will become warmer, and the wear resistance of the sole itself will increase. If you add rubberized outsoles to everything else, then the resistance of the shoes to moisture will increase many times over. But this does not limit the possibility of using old felt boots
You can also make good insoles for winter boots from old shoes. Such things simply cannot be compared with the cardboard boxes that manufacturers usually put in winter shoes.
Some men who are keen on hunting also do not refuse the opportunity to use old felt boots for their own purposes. With great resourcefulness and pleasure, they make special wads from these warm shoes, which are pushed into hunting cartridges. But a fisherman can use an old thing as a subglacier.
Master class on decorating felt boots
We present to your attention an interesting master class on decorating felt boots for children and adults with your own hands. To work you will need the following components:
- Beads of red, green, gold shade;
- Thin line;
- Needle;
- Stencil with an image.
The beads should be located tightly to each other. To do this, the line must be carefully tightened from the inside of the shoe.
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To make the shiny pattern look voluminous, it is recommended to distribute the beads over the entire upper surface of the product.
Experienced needlewomen prefer to use beads of different diameters. Thanks to them, the embroidery looks more convex.
The video on how to decorate felt boots with your own hands shows the working process.
How not to stretch felt boots
In order for the felt boots to stretch
, you should not try to carry them on your feet. This will result in chafing and painful calluses. More significant effort is required to achieve a noticeable effect. Do not use professional products or sprays. They are suitable exclusively for leather and suede shoes. During drying, it is not recommended to leave products near heating appliances. Felt boots may shrink.
This is an instructive story about how the remnants of natural science knowledge acquired in a technical university, miraculously preserved in the head, can be useful in everyday life.
We decorate felt boots with natural fur
This method of decoration allows you to make an exclusive shoe accessory. For work we will need:
- Natural mink or arctic fox fur;
- Sharp knife;
- Thin brush;
- Adhesive composition for fixing fur parts;
- Drawing diagram.
Instead of fixing, we make marks. They will allow you to properly glue the fur elements. After this, using a thin brush, apply the adhesive composition on the back side of the workpieces. We apply them to the surface of the shoes.
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In addition to fur trim, you can use large beads. They are attached at the top and bottom using thin fishing line.
Some needlewomen prefer to use rhinestones with a faceted surface. They make jewelry voluminous and bright. The photo of felt boots decorated with your own hands shows the finished products.
Five ways to stretch felt boots
- Take two thick plastic bags and fill them no more than halfway with water. Place a bag in each product and put it away in the frost. If you need to stretch both the heel and toe, place a bag in each part. And to expand the boot, put the bag there too. Leave for a few hours and then bring back into a warm place. Replace the water and repeat the procedure until the shoes stretch to the desired size;
- Place the pair in a container of hot water for three to four hours, then squeeze it out lightly and put special plastic shoe lasts of the desired size inside. Leave the products at room temperature until completely dry. After this, you will notice an increase in felt boots in volume;
- Small felt boots are moistened evenly inside and out, then a deflated football ball or balloon is placed inside each product and inflated to the desired size. Leave the shoes at room temperature until completely dry. Repeat the procedure if necessary;
- Steaming is another effective way to enlarge felt boots if they are or have become smaller than necessary. Pour boiling water into the container, and place and secure the steam on top. You can hang your shoes using clothespins. After three to four hours, remove the products and fill them inside with folded newspapers or paper, leave to dry completely at room temperature. In this case, you will also need to do three or four procedures. By the way, steaming will not only increase the size of felt boots, but will also make the products soft and comfortable;
- Make or buy special wooden lasts one size larger than your shoes. Wet the pads and evenly moisten the material of the products, place them inside the pads and leave until completely dry. To make shoes larger, three to four procedures will be required.
Photos of felt boots with your own hands
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What are felt boots made of?
These are warm boots made of felted sheep wool . They are shoes for walking on snow . There are both hard and soft ones, which are worn under other shoes. Let's look in detail at how to soften these shoes.
To soften felt boots, take:
- Thick yarn socks.
- Unnecessary paper or newspapers.
- Polyethylene.
- Drying oil.
- Wooden blocks.
- Rubber hammer.
- Laths.
What you need to make your own felt boots
It is very important to choose the right materials for the job so that there are no annoying hiccups or errors during the process. To do this, calculate the required amount of wool in advance and prepare all the tools.
Selection and calculation of the amount of wool
To make it clear to a beginner how much wool is needed for his product, you can use
practice of experienced craftsmen.
- Children - about 0.7 kg.
- Adults (size 39) - about 0.9 kg.
- Adults (sizes 42–43) - up to 1.5 kg.
The amount of wool may vary depending on the height and thickness of the products you want to make.
Which wool to choose depends on your preferences and what type of felting you prefer: dry or wet. Products made using these two techniques differ from each other in appearance and tactile sensations.
REFERENCE . Felt boots are most often made using the wet felting technique.
It is best to purchase wool in specialized stores to be sure of the quality and that the material is suitable for the job.
How not to handle felt products
Let's look at what is prohibited in relation to felt products:
- To soften felt boots, you shouldn’t heroically try to wear them out through the pain. This rash step will end in damage to your feet in the form of calluses and wounds.
- Under no circumstances use products intended for the care of leather and suede shoes.
- Drying should not be done near batteries, because felt products may become deformed.
If previously felt boots were only suitable for the garden or fishing, today ladies in felt boots with appliqué or embroidery can also be found at fashionable parties.
Children will also like them, and they will not be superfluous in a country house. Indispensable winter shoes, an example of comfort - these are all our felt boots! Wear it with pleasure!
For quite a long time, Russian felt boots were considered shoes for children and villagers. Nowadays, “boots” and “boots” made from sheep wool are becoming increasingly popular in the city, especially during severe frosts. Felt products are even featured on the catwalks of fashion designers. It is important to choose a high-quality pair and break them in to make the felt boots softer.
Pay attention to the material used to make felt boots. If you pay attention to your purchase, then you won’t have to spend a long and painful time wearing out rough “pads.” It is recommended to opt for a product of medium hardness - felt boots that are too soft will quickly lose their shape. Keep in mind that factory models are always more rigid than homemade ones. The most comfortable felt boots are those made from fine-fleece wool of the highest grade - chesanki.
Wear the hard felt boots until they take the shape of your feet. If you choose felt shoes that are not too rough, then it is enough to put them on a cotton and thick woolen sock and walk every day in the cold and even in wet snow. Over time, felt boots become softer. Please note that at the same time they shrink a little in length, but widen in width.
Try steaming felt shoes. This is the fastest way to make felt boots softer in emergency cases, when you don’t have the time or opportunity to break them in. Hold the felt boots over hot steam until the felt is damp and soft. Then stuff them tightly with old newspapers; cover with a piece of cloth and beat with a rubber mallet, rolling pin or edge of a board: the instep, toes and the entire area of the foot.
