https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/diy-removable-shoe-wings • Posted by jwodesigns
This is my first post to Cut Out + Keep! I'm sorry if it's too many steps... I like to be as detailed as possible to answer any questions. You can download the wing pattern/template below! If you have any questions or comments, I would be happy to answer them! Thanks for looking! :)
This is my first post to Cut Out + Keep! I'm sorry if it's too many steps... I like to be as detailed as possible to answer any questions. You can download the wing pattern/template below! If you have any questions or comments, I would be happy to answer them! Thanks for looking! :)
Draw some wings on large index cards and outline them with a Sharpie. If you don't feel like drawing, I made a downloadable printable pattern! Remember to choose "Actual Size" before printing so nothing is cut off. It's best to use cardstock or heavier paper since you'll be using this as your template on your leather/vinyl.
Cut out your wings. I find it easier to use smaller scissors to cut out complicated shapes. *NOTE* I did NOT include the lace holes in my pattern. Each shoe's lace holes are spaced differently so you must measure this on your own!
Get a large needle and punch through the holes so that you can trace them.
Grab your leather/vinyl.
Flip your vinyl/leather to the wrong or "rough" side (the side that you don't want showing) and trace with a silver or white dressmaking pencil/color pencil.
Carefully cut out all the wings. This is the most tedious part. I did NOT cut the "slits" in between the feathers. I waited until the wings were assembled.
Grab some Heat N' Bond Ultrahold. This can be found in your local Walmart in the crafts section or any fabric store. They have the purple colored Heat N' Bond which is not the ultrahold. DO NOT get this. It will NOT stick your wings together and cause much pain and misery.
Position your wings on the bumpy side of the Heat N' Bond paper with the ROUGH/WRONG side of the fabric facing the bumpy side.
Turn OFF the steam on your iron and set it on low-ish heat. I set mine on 3.
Grab a scrap piece of cotton fabric and place on TOP of the wings and Heat N' Bond. Be careful not to shift the wings around underneath. Now press down with all your might BUT keep that iron moving! Don't let it sit too long or it'll MELT fake leather/vinyl. I can't really tell you how long to iron since everyone's iron heats differently. I kept mine on about 30 seconds moving around frequently to get everything covered.
Peel the scrap fabric back to see if the Heat N' Bond has stuck to the back side. Don't worry if it comes off in a huge transparent sheet with the wings still stuck. Just carefully pick away at the transparent sticky side BUT make sure it's still stuck to the backside of your wings! Press the OPPOSITE/FLIPPED wing so that the WRONG sides of the fabric of the wings are touching each other. See what I'm doing? I'm DOUBLE LAYERING the wings together to give it stability and plus, it looks better. Once the two wings are placed together with the Heat N' Bond sandwiched between, place the scrap fabric back on TOP and press firmly (and MOVE) for about 30 seconds or more to melt the Heat N' Bond and stick the 2 wings together.
Should look like this now. You'll have 2 large wings and 2 small wings. Trim any extra Heat N' Bond sticking out or overlaps in the wings.
Grab your paper templates and use the holes you punched through earlier to mark the holes.
Grab your large needle and push and form the holes carefully. I suggest using a twisting motion to help force the needle through.
Then, I grabbed my blunt ice pick (or awl) and gently force the holes open so that they're big enough for the shoe laces to go through.
I didn't glue or attach the wings together, I just laced the shoe string through the holes since they hold both layers pretty firmly. And here's how they look!