Hokuto Sumeragi - Mad Hatter #77

4 shoe cover stages:
1. the rough clingfilm+tape pattern
2. paper traced pattern
3. the fabric cut pattern
4. testing the pattern on the shoe

Although I haven't finished the false jacket closures yet, I finally made the shoe cover patterns. I was so absorbed while doing it, that I forgot to take a pictures of the process. Anyway, this is how I usually make them. I use the clingfilm+tape process, which you can search for tutorials online. I forgot how troublesome it is to make it on your own.

1. My feet aren't symmetrical, so I always make the patterns for the "bad foot", which is my right foot. It's a bit bigger and has a bunyan.
2. I start by putting my base shoe on, and wrapping the shoe and part of the foot in clingfilm. Yes, the kind you use to wrap food with.
3. Then I strategically place tape around the foot and shoe, covering all the area that will become the shoe cover. This shoe has a small flap, which will become bigger with the shoe cover. One can use paper painter's tape or gaffer tape, I have no real preference, I used paper tape on this one, because it was the first I grabbed.
4. With a good marker, I use a Sharpie black marker, trace all the seams and edges of the shoe. Soles, heel, shoe seams and edges.
5. If you're altering or adding to the base shoe, do it around the tracing you made before. Also add darts to any shaper curves or edges, especially if your fabric doesn't have much give. I had to do this for the shoe toes, as this fabric has almost no elasticity.
6. With a small scissors, carefully cut one of the traced seams, I usually cut the back seam, and take the shoe off.
7. Cut the remaining traced lines, including the added shapes and darts.
8. Flatten your pattern the best you can, trace it to the paper and clean the lines.
9. Identify the inner part of the shoe on your paper pattern, on both sides because you're going to mirror it.
10. Trace your pattern twice, mirroring it, to your fabric, and identify the inner part again on the fabric.

I still have to trace the heels, but that's easier to make with the shoe off. Now the pattern is ready to make the shoe covers, but more on that on the next post.

I'm almost finished with the false closures, but I used a bit different method, which ended up different in size to the prototype. I'll have to make one more...

+ This is a simple but accurate method to make shoe covers, I almost never have to make adjustments and the result is quite professional looking.

- I forgot how troublesome this is to make on yourself, unless youre a very thin and flexible person. I'm surely not.

THE CUNNING PLAN 

Finish the false closures, trace the heels, cut the bias tape, and cut the extra part of the flap in 2mm EVA foam.