Things You Need:

• A leather needle or very large sewing needle with a large eye and thicker stem than most needles. The good ones are about an inch or so longer than a regular one.
• Embroidery thread or waxed dental floss
• Broken shoes (yeah, this is a fool proof recipe for broken ones with rubber soles, sneakers, sandals, etc. but don’t take my word for it with any clunky leather stuff like boots or mary janes or anything, ’cause I’ve never tried to fix those. Fake leather that isn’t too plasticy is okay.)
• An old bicycle tube
• Some thick old fabric

What to Do:

1. Take out the laces, open the velcro, buckles, etc.
2. Open that baby up!
3. Cut a piece of the bike tube, cut it open. Cut it in half. This is what you use for side holes. Sew the sole to the upper shoe with the rubber tubing on the inside of the shoe as patching and shoe-strengthening material. Go back and stitch over the top and bottom of the tubing to reinforce the fixed places, because they are real likely to break again in those places. Stitch tightly.
4. For toe holes use whatever thick fabric you’ve come up with on the outside of the shoe rather than the inside. Fold over frayed edges first.
5. Tie good knots in the thread when you’re done with an area.
6. Read this again if you couldn’t follow it the first time.
7. Sew your little heart out!

See Also: Arts: Art Projects: Rubber Stamps Arts: Art Projects: Keychain