Let’s talk about little feet.
And how each and every time you go to the store, go outside to play, head to the park, decide to take a walk around the block, etc……..those little feet need shoes placed around them. And if the shoes that fit these mentioned little fit are shoes with laces, well, they can become a real pain after tying, double knotting, un-tying, and repeating………27 times a day. (Can you sense a little drama?!!)
Not all of Chloe’s have shoelaces. In fact, only one pair has laces. But I find myself trying to find any OTHER pair of shoes to put on her feet EXCEPT the shoelace ones. Because I’m trying to just hurry and slap some shoes on her. So, these cute little lace-up shoes weren’t getting any love.
So, I changed that.
And turned them into SLIP-ON SHOES……by creating Elastic Laces with an Attached Bow.
Just pull the tongue, stretch out those elastic laces……….and slip right on.
(I think Connor (age 4) and Elli (age 6) would love this too. Especially when they just want to slip something on quickly…….and run right outside.)
Now, little Coco Bug can wear her cute lace-up shoes, even when we’re in a hurry. Call me lazy……but yeah, this saves me some headache.
I don’t ever have to un-tie those little bows again. Ever.
And yeah, you could just thread some elastic through the shoelace holes and tie it into a knot and slip onto little feet, etc……….but adding the bow makes them look like they’re really tied. And so much cuter.
See ya. We’ve got some playing to do around here.
Want to make some of your own?
First of all, this works for any aged kid. Especially for those who just get tired of tying and un-tying their shoes.
Begin by unlacing the shoes.
Then, re-lace with some cord elastic. (If you’re looking for colored elastic, this used to be one of those elastic headbands that you can buy from WalMart/Target/Etc. But also, try looking for colored cord elastic at your local fabric store. Or maybe online??)
Then tighten up the elastic running through the shoelace holes until it’s just tight enough to stay on feet but will also stretch out enough for feet to slide inside. Tie ends into a knot.
Then, grab a needle and thread and sew the knot in place by sewing it right down to the tongue of the shoe. (Be sure the tongue is centered and right where it should be when on the foot.) (Need help with hand stitching?)
Trim off the ends of elastic.
Then, tie your shoelace into a bow to see exactly how big of a bow you’ll need. Untie the bow and measure exactly how much of the lace the bow used. Then cut off the two ends of the shoelace (with the pointy ends) to equal the length you needed, plus a 1/4 inch on each piece. For example, after untying my practice bow, I measured and needed 16 inches of shoelace. So, I knew I needed 2 pieces that were 8 inches to equal the 16 inches but also added a 1/4 inch to both. So, the two pieces (with the pointy ends) are both 8 1/4 inches long.
Then, overlap your raw ends by a 1/2 inch and hand stitch in place. (Need help with hand stitching?)
Tie your lace into a bow and then center it over the elastic knot. Hide the elastic ends under the bow and hand stitch it in place, sewing right through the tongue of the shoe. Go up and down, grabbing a little more of the bow each time…..completely securing the bow in place. (If you’d like, you could also add a little epoxy glue under the bow, for added strength.)
Repeat with the other shoe…….and then voila!! A pair of Slip-On shoes!!!
Enjoy your headache-free trip to the park!
-Ashley
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Hi, I’m Ashley—the DIY-enthusiast behind this crazy blog!
