Suede Slipper Bottoms

Details

Two-piece suede bottoms for handmade slippers. Instead of one full sole, you get a toe piece for the ball of the foot and a separate heel piece, so the suede goes where slippers wear out and nowhere else. Fiber Trends designed them for close-fitting styles like their AC-14 Ballerina Slippers, where a full sole doesn't suit the shape, but they work on any knitted, crocheted or felted slipper. The pieces are pre-punched and come with matching sock yarn for sewing them on.

• Made by Fiber Trends in the USA from genuine suede (domestic cowhide)
• Toe and heel pieces for one pair of slippers, plus sock yarn for sewing
• Pre-punched holes around each piece
• Grey (a dark charcoal) or Camel
• Hand wash only

Sizes

Measurements are width by length. To check the fit, measure across the bottom of your finished slipper at its widest point and compare that to the width of the toe piece.

Sewing them on

Finish the slippers first. If they're felted, felt them and let them dry completely before you sew anything on, since hot water and agitation will damage the suede. Put the slipper on a foot or stuff it so it holds its shape. Set the toe piece under the ball of the foot and the heel piece under the heel, pin them, then whipstitch through each punched hole with the included yarn and a tapestry needle.

Questions about Suede Slipper Bottoms

Should I get these or full soles?

Our Suede Slipper Soles cover the whole bottom and come up about 3/4" around the sides, so they protect the most. The two-piece bottoms cover less and suit close-fitting styles like ballet slippers, where a full sole doesn't fit the shape well.

Will they keep my slippers from slipping?

They help where the slipper touches the floor most, under the ball of the foot and the heel. Suede grips wood and tile better than wool or felt, but it isn't rubber.

Can I use them on crochet or felted slippers?

Yes. They sew onto crochet and felt the same way they sew onto knitting. On felted slippers, always sew them on after felting, never before.

Can I use them to patch worn slippers?

Yes. They're a good fix for handmade slippers that have worn thin at the heel or the ball of the foot. Darn any holes first so the patch has something solid to sew to.

How do I wash slippers with suede bottoms?

By hand, in cool water with a wool wash. Roll them in a towel to press the water out and dry them flat, away from heat. If the suede is stiff once it's dry, flex it in your hands or brush it with a suede brush.