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Lace it up!


I love lace up shoes that tie around the ankle. I think they are incredibly adorable and using cute ribbon for the laces makes them even better. Recently I went shoe shopping for some cute flats that I could wear with capri pants this summer. I found a canvas pair I liked with cute tie up laces but they were $50! Seriously? For canvas? No way.

I put on my crafting hat (yes I have a crafting hat), drank some crafting elixir (I call it wine) and I started to hatch a plan. Why not get cheap canvas shoes that I see year after year in discount stores and jazz them up myself? So that is exactly what I did.


Supplies
9-ft ribbon that is .75" to 1.5" wide
12-.25" Eyelets
Eyelet tool
Hammer
Xacto Knife
Scissors
Marking Chalk
Straight Pins
Cheap canvas shoes (I got mine from Walmart under $10)
Hammer

  1. Cut the ribbon in half. Using the straight pins and ribbon, start to figure out the placement of the grommets. Where you pin the ribbon to the shoe will be where you place the grommets. Carefully try on the shoe with pinned ribbon to see if you like the placement of the ribbon. After you have the placement the way you like it, mark the areas with wash away chalk.
  2. Using the Xacto knife, carefully cut a hole for the grommet. Make sure not too cut the hole too large or the grommet will not hold. I basically start with a little cut and slowly make it larger, periodically placing the grommet in the hole to check the size.
  3. From the outside of the shoe, insert the deep half of the eyelet in the hole. Position the shallow half of the eyelet over stem of the front eyelet.
  4. Work on a firm, protected surface (I usually use a basement floor or a hard work table, something you don't care if it gets a mark or two). Position the front side (eyelet on the outside of the shoe) on the anvil and insert the tool into the eyelet center that is on the inside of the shoe. Hammer gently.
  5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 with the remaining grommet position.

  6. Lace the ribbon through the grommets making sure to start at the base by putting the ribbon under so it is inside the shoe and does not show on the outside of the shoe.

Hint: if your ribbon is polyester or acrylic use matches or a lighter to slightly singe the ends to stop fraying.

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