Pin 96

Original pin:

http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2012/05/summer-t-shirt-diy-projects.html

This blog has a link to Gap's facebook page which posted this flip-flop makeover using a t-shirt.

I have been wanting some gladiator-style sandals for two summers now, but haven't found the ones I liked in my price range.

I picked up a pair of flip-flops at the dollar store and dug an old shirt out of my scrap bag. The flip-flops were in desperate need of a makeover and the shirt was one I had bought ages ago. It had been on sale so I picked it up for cheap, but it never really looked good on me.

I did not follow the directions exactly. I did not want to sew these on by hand. I used small amounts of hot glue to put the strips of fabric on the flip-flops and keep the strips in place. These dollar store flip-flops could use the reinforcement. Plus, the thong is so thin on these shoes--the fabric would slip all around if I didn't.

I didn't get it exactly right the first time. I had to rip the first one out and re-do it. Luckily, the thin thong meant that I needed less fabric to wrap the shoe with.

My final product, a no-sew flip-flop makeover:

I started at the thong between the toes and hot glued the beginning of the strip here. I worked with only one strip at a time. The original looks like they wrap two at a time. I did that on the first shoe and it just looked sloppy and uneven on these skinny straps. That is the version I ripped out and re-did. I totally wrapped the straps, putting little glue dots on randomly. Then I took a second strip and tied it to the back end of the strap where it meets the base of the shoe. I glued this in place and that made the ankle straps. You could make these as long as you wanted, but I stayed relatively short.

I wrapped them differently than the picture the first time. Here is the re-do.

Total cost: $1

Total time: 1 hour

Final verdict: My feet do not have any photogenic qualities. But besides that, I like them. I can't wait to try them out. I am a little wary that they might fall apart when I wear them out because I used some thin knit fabric and hot glue on dollar store sandals, but I guess we will see. Other than that, I am happy with how they look. I think they are super cute and they were pretty easy to make. Extra bonus: They were definitely within my price range.