How to Make DIY Fashion Flip Flops

-Brother Sews Blogger

We love summer, fun, and flip flops! How about using your Brother sewing machine to dress up your flip flops with colorful trim and free-standing fabric flowers. Start by checking out the recent Brother blog post featuring Free-Standing Floral Appliquéusing the Brother Simply Appliqué Software Program. Next, create fabric trim, wrap the straps of your flip flops, attach the flowers, and you’re ready for some fun in the sun! Are you ready? Let’s go sew!

Materials and Supplies for Sample Flower:
• Brother sewing machine. Note: Machine featured in this project is the Brother NS1750D
• Basic sewing notions including sewing thread to match fabric.
• Glue suitable for attaching fabric to slick surfaces such as plastic.
• Two fabric flowers created using the previously mentioned tutorial.
• Two pieces of quilt weight cotton measuring 3 ½-inches square.
• Seam sealant to treat raw edges of fabric tubes.
• Tweezers for ease in weaving under fabric ends. Note: I borrowed the tweezers from my Brother serger.
• Loop turner or other tool for turning narrow tubes of fabric right side out.
• Large and small clips for holding strips and flowers in place as you decorate the flip flops.
• Free-standing flower appliques for trim. Note: Please see previous Brother blog to learn how to create your own flowers. As an alternative you can use pre-purchased appliqués.
• Fabric strips to coordinate with the color of your flip flops. Cut strips to equal a width of 1 ½-inches wide. For the length, measure the length of the straps and then double the measurement.

Steps to Create:

1. Set up machine for sewing with the stretch stitch and settings shown below in Figure #1. Note: I chose this particular stitch because it coordinates well with the stretchy bias strips.

Figure #1

2. Gather supplies for creating fabric tubes. See Figure #2.

Figure #2

3. Sew tubes as follows: Fold strip in half lengthwise with right sides together. Begin by stitching close to the raw edge of the fabric, gradually angling the strip to sew a seam allowance measuring approximately ¼-inch wide. See Figure #3a, Figure #3b, and Figure #3c.

Figure #3a

Figure #3b

Figure #3c

4.Turn tubes right side out and press flat. Gather flowers, flip flops, and tubes to complete the project. See Figure #4.

Figure #4

5. Beginning with one flip flop, wrap the strip around the center part of the straps. Tightly wrap the tube of fabric over the straps, clipping as necessary to keep strip in place, and working on one side at a time. When you reach the end, trim the strip leaving 1 ½-inches extra and cutting the end at an angle. Treat cut end with seam sealant and let dry. Finally, use the tweezers to carefully feed the tail under the wrapped tube, hiding the raw ends. Repeat for matching flip flop. See Figure #5a and Figure #5b.

Figure #5a

Figure #5b

6. Glue flower in the center to finish. Tips: Use a larger size clip to hold flower in place while glue dries. Be careful with glue to avoid having it seep through the fabric or land on any other surface. Enjoy!