No witch costume is complete without the spiky, laced-up Victorian boots witches most often wear (at least as they are represented in popular culture). However, vintage Victorian boots can be expensive, difficult to find and lacking in comfort, while modern, custom-made shoes can be priced very highly indeed. The alternative to high-cost, low-availability costume shoes is to create shoe covers, which are false tops that give the impression one is wearing a completely different shoe. Shoe covers can be made to suit any specifications, and if done well, can look just as good as the real item.
Step 1
Choose a pair of shoes with a heel that resembles the look you'd like to achieve. Victorian ladies' shoes have low, thick heels with a curve that is also seen in modern women's professional shoes.
Step 2
Decide on the general height, width and length of the witch shoe you wish to make. Use your template shoes and your own legs to determine how high you want the boots to be, and how pointed the toe. Transfer the measurements loosely to muslin in three pieces: a right side, a left side and a front center.
Step 3
Drape the muslin over one foot while wearing the real shoes. Pin the three pieces together at the center back and both side fronts, making three straight seams. Make sure the muslin clings to the leg and will not be likely to fall down or droop.
Step 4
Make any necessary changes in shape. Pin the front bottom of the muslin into the desired witch-shoe point. Mark all changes with the fabric pen, then mark where the seams, top and bottom are. Label each piece as either the back, left-side front or right-side front.
Step 5
Unpin the muslin and trim away all excess fabric. Leave a 1/2-inch seam allowance at the top, bottom and seam sides.
Step 6
Cut mirror-image versions of each muslin pattern piece for the other foot.
Step 1
Choose a heavy faux-leather fabric in the color of your choice. Make sure the fabric is sturdy enough to stay up on your leg. If not, you may have to add boning or stiff lining to the inside of the shoe cover.
Step 2
Pin the pattern pieces to the heavy fabric and cut. Transfer all markings to the wrong side of the fabric.
Step 3
Sew the side front seams together, press open the seam allowances and trim.
Step 4
Finish the top of the witch shoes by folding the seam allowances under and top-stitching.
Step 5
On the wrong side of the fabric, mark spots for eyelets. Line up the markings on the outer edge of the side front seams, starting at the middle of the foot, to mimic a real shoe with a tongue.
Step 6
Make holes at the markings using an awl. Push the eyelets through the holes and clamp them to the fabric using an eyelet punch. Run shoelaces through the eyelets, like a real Victorian boot.
Step 7
Sew the bottom of the center back seams, then sew zippers all the way to the top.
Step 8
Attach the witch shoe covers to the real shoes at the edges of the soles. Turn the seam allowances under and hand-stitch or glue the fabric to each shoe sole.
Skill: Moderate
Ingredients:
- Heeled shoes
- Muslin
- Shoe cover fabric
- Sewing machine
- Sewing supplies
- Fabric pen
- zippers
- Hot glue or shoemaker's cement
- Curved needle
- Metal eyelets
- Eyelet punch
- Shoelaces
Tip: If the pointed toe of the shoe does not stand up, you may need to stuff it with batting.
You can better mimic the look of a real shoe by creating a more complex pattern involving sides that part at a center front seam, with a separate tongue panel held beneath it.
Add trim and piping to any part of the shoe cover as desired.
Warning: Do not cover the heel or sole of the shoe, as there is very little traction to normal fabric.
Keyword: witch shoe costume cover cosplay
