Naruto Sandals Tutorial – Easy/Medium

Alright. My way of making the naruto sandals is similar to Liz Spain’s method (http://liz.spain.googlepages.com/narutosandaltutorial). This way is easier because there are less seams to sew (good for the lazy person, if you have no access to a sewing machine and need to hand sew) and takes less time. Downside is it lacks compete accuracy (there is no seam on the back) and may have a looser fit at the heel, depending on how accurate you are.

Tools/Materials:

1 pair of thongs/flip-flops
black/blue fabric paint (test this first. The first paint i used left a sticky residue once dry)
approx 2m square black/blue fabric (I used cotton with barely any stretch)*
scissors/craft knife
glue (I used craft glue, a hot glue gun will also suffice)
thread to match your fabric (I used 100% cotton)
pins
tacks
sewing needle (you can use a sewing machine to make it easier)
white pencil

*I also used this same piece to do my kunai pouches. A little goes a long way.

Method:

1. Prepare the thongs.

• 1a. Cut away the straps at the top. Leave the plugs in on the underside. Add glue to the holes to keep the plugs in place. I find this keeps your thongs stable and you don’t have awkward holes.
• 1b. Paint your thongs, both sides.
• 1c. Here I like to add a cotton layer to the top of the shoe, for extra comfort. Place the thong on the fabric, trace the shape, cut and glue the edges down.

2. Make the top of the shoe.

• 2a. Cut a piece of fabric 100cm x 30cm. Draw a line down the fabric at 50cm, so you have divided the fabric by a line. DO NOT CUT. You have essential made the seam on the back of the shoe.
• 2b. Place your foot along this line, making sure that the fabric extends past your heel. KEEP YOUR FOOT AT 90 DEGREES.
• 2c. Pull the fabric together, making sure that both sides are even. Pin this. Here is where accuracy helps to get a better fit. You may even want a friend to help you with this part. Remove the fabric from your foot, being careful not to move any pins.
• 2d. Lay the fabric flat so that the line you original drew is in the crease of the fabric. Draw a line where you have pinned. Place your foot along this line and trace it. Mark where your toes start and where your foot joins your ankle. Make sure your line goes all the way to the edge of the fabric.
• 2e. Cut about an inch past this line. This is your seam allowance.
• 2f. Sew along the line you drew between the two marks. Cut through your seam allowance from the edge of the fabric to the seam you just sewed, being careful not to cut the thread. Keep a few millimetres between the edge of your cut and the thread.
• 2g. Turn the whole thing inside out.

3. Make the cuffs.

• 3a. Sew from your toe mark to the edge of the fabric.
• 3b. Sew from your ankle mark to the edge of the fabric. This should still all be pinned. Take them out now.
• 3c. Put the shoe on. Roll down the top cuff. The cuff is about an inch and a half in thickness. Roll it until you can’t see the seam you just sewed.
• 3d. Roll up the toe cuff. Pin in place.

4. Attach shoe to thong.

• 4a. Still wearing the top of your shoe, step on your thong. Position the thong so the back is in line with the back of your foot. Pulling the fabric down tightly (so it is comfortable and holds your foot to the shoe) tack it in place. Test now to make sure you can slide your foot in and out. If not, adjust your tacks.
• 4b. Cut the fabric so half an inch hangs down past the bottom of the shoe.
• 4c. There are two ways to do the heel cuff. If you do method 1, mark where the top of the thong meets fabric, untack the shoe now, do the heel cuff, then retack the shoe. If you do method 2, carry on now. You don’t have to have a heel cuff.
• 4d. Glue the overhanging fabric to the bottom of the shoe. Pull it as tight as you can and leave to dry. Remove the tacks. Congratulations, your Naruto shoe is complete, baring a heel cuff if you do method 2.

5. The heel cuff.

5.1. Method 1.

• 5.1a. Get a piece of fabric about 4cm wide and 7cm long. Sew a small seam all the way around.
• 5.1b. Take your shoe and sew this to the heel of it. The bottom of the heel cuff should meet the mark you made in step 4c.
• 5.1c. Retack the shoe and continue.

5.2 Method 2.

• 5.2a. Get a piece of fabric about 4cm wide and 7cm long. Sew a small seam all the way around.
• 5.2b. Grab your completed shoe and tack the cuff in place. For less sewing, align the bottom of the cuff with the bottom of the thong itself. For more accuracy, align the bottom of the cuff with the top of the thong.
• 5.2c. The complex bit. From the inside of your shoe, begin to sew the cuff on. If you choose to align the bottom of the cuff to the bottom of the thong, you need to sew three edges. The bottom edge is glued and pinned. Once this dries, it’s done.
• 5.2d. If you chose the accurate method, sew all four edges and your cuff is complete.

And there you have it. A slightly easier naruto sandal tutorial. Next is a tutorial on the simplest kunai pouches you could imagine.

Ciao.