Personally, I’ve found digital photography to be both a blessing and a curse.  I love taking lots of photos and not worrying about the cost of having the film developed.  I enjoy the ability to use my own photos as screen savers and backgrounds.  Sharing electronically – great.

Since I started blogging, I’ve gotten into the habit of photographing the steps of almost everything I make, in case I decide to write about it.  And here’s where we come to the downside of digital photos:  they have dates.  I know exactly when I started a project, and EXACTLY how long it’s been sitting around unfinished.  I kinda miss the old days, where I could look at something and think “It hasn’t been that long since I started that.”  Sure, in the back of my mind I knew good and well it had been years, but without dates I still had some level of plausible deniability.

It hasn’t been too long since I started this one, but thanks to my photos I had to admit to nearly a month, instead of a week or two.  Film would never have thrown me under the bus like that.

On to the project.  I’m not usually a huge flip-flop fan, mainly because I have a seriously hard time keeping them on my feet, but that rainbow on the Old Navy wall draws my attention every time.  They look great all together like that, but take any pair out of formation and it’s just not as exciting.  Until now.

I made the basic pattern for these by sliding a piece of paper under the straps, tracing around the outside and adding a 1/4” seam allowance.   If you do this, make sure you account for the curve in the strap on the inside of the foot.  For the flaps on the underside, you’ll need to cut the piece in half where the part goes between your toes and add a seam allowance to the middle.

You can download the pattern I used here.  My flip-flops are size 9, but the covers fit just as well on my daughter’s size 10’s.  It would probably work for at least a couple of sizes smaller as well, just make sure to check it next to your shoe before cutting any fabric.

Cut one of each piece for the outside and one of each for the lining.  Flip every pattern piece over and cut again for the other foot.

This photo doesn’t show the top piece for each foot, which looks just like the larger black pieces only with white dots.

Cut out and apply interfacing to all the lining pieces and the two top outer pieces.

To make the ruffled version, cut ruffles in the following sizes, one for each foot:

1 1/2 x 7”

1 1/2 x 6”

1 1/2 x 5”

1 1/2 x 3 1/2”

Fold in the sides and bottom edge of ruffles a scant 1/4”  Fold the top edge of the longest ruffle also.  Stitch.

Stitch a long basting stitch near the top edge of each ruffle.  Starting with the shortest ruffle, gather the edge.  Pin in place on the outer top piece so it’s 3/4” from the toe and 1/4” from each side.  Stitch near top of ruffle.

Do the same with the next ruffle, overlapping the top of the previous one by 1/4”.

Repeat with the remaining two ruffles.  Don’t forget you have two feet – repeat all ruffles for the other one.

Cut six 3/4” squares of Velcro.  Cut two of them in half.

Stitch the matching lining  and outer pieces together along the inside straight edge (B to B and C to C), right sides together.  Press open with the seams toward the lining.

On the right side of the lining, stitch the hook side of the Velcro on with the larger piece 1/2” from the bottom and close to the seam and the smaller piece 1/2” above that.

Fold right sides together at the seam and stitch across the bottom edge.  Turn right side out.  Press and topstitch near the edge along both straight sides.

Sew the loop sides to correspond on the larger lining piece (A).  I did this by just laying the smaller pieces on top of the larger one, matching the curved edges and sticking pins through to figure out where the Velcro needed to be.  It’s a little tricky, but in the end if you’re slightly off they’ll still work.

Pin all of the ruffles so they aren’t near the outer edge.

Attach the lining pieces to each other with the Velcro.

Lay the ruffles down on top of the split flaps.  Pin in place.  Stitch all the way around, leaving two inches open at the bottom to turn.  Make sure not to catch the bottom edge of the split flaps in the seam.

Turn.  Press bottom edge, turning in the edges at the opening.  Topstitch across the bottom.

Remove the pins from the ruffles and fluff.  Apply to your flip flops with the ruffles on top and the split flaps slipped around the straps and Velcro’d underneath.

And if you get tired of wearing them on one color, just take them off and try a different one.

Whew!  I’ll let you absorb all that for a while.  Come back tomorrow and I’ll show you how I made the cute pair with the flowers!

My thanks to the following blogs for letting me play in their sandbox this week:

Skip to my Lou

Me Making Do

C.R.A.F.T.

Ninth Street Notions

Sew Can Do

Inspiring You 2 Save

The Girl Creative

It’s So Very Cheri

Sew Chatty

Making the World Cuter

Finding Fabulous

I Heart Nap Time

Keeping It Simple

Mad in Crafts

Under the Table and Dreaming

Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

Sew Much Ado