How to Update Old Spring Sandals

Once you get a pair of comfortable sandals, it's hard to give them up just because they are a little scuffed, or they no longer qualify to be trendy. A touch of creativity is all it takes to update an old pair of sandals for fun wear this spring.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Embroidery thread
• Embroidery needle
• Sandpaper
• Fabric paint
• Flat brush
• Rhinestones

1. Update your sandals with fabric top straps with some embroidery work. Many of the fabric straps are made of denim, so just about any color you desire can be used to whipstitch the edges and create a few daisies across the strap.

2. Thread an embroidery needle with your choice of color to give an outline for the embroidery design.

3. Cover the edges of the strap with a whipstitch that is accomplished by bringing the needle through the fabric from the underneath side, holding the thread toward you and taking a short back stitch. Repeat the stitch along the outline of the strap.

4. Embroider daisies or any design of your choosing at intervals across the toe strap using complementary colors to the whipstitched edging.

5. Use fabric paint to create the same effect as thread embroidery. Sketch the design to update your sandals for spring on any cloth part. Using a fabric-painting applicator bottle, apply the paint carefully along the lines.

6. Paint the sides of the soles of wooden or rubber soled sandals for a quick update to spring colors. Begin the process by sanding the soles using coarse sandpaper.

7. Use acrylic craft paint and a flat brush to apply solid color or stripe patterns on the sandals.

8. Allow color to dry completely and apply 2 coats of clear acrylic finish to seal and protect the color.

9. Decorate old leather sandals with different colors of rhinestones. Using an electric rhinestone setter, simply plug in the unit to heat, pick up the rhinestone in the tip of the applicator and place on the straps. The heat-sensitive glue will securely attach the stone.

10. Use metal setting rhinestone tools to seat the stone in a rim that attaches through the material.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a sharp needle with a large eye to embroider through heavy denim.
• Practice decorating your old sandals with rhinestones on similar material before attempting the procedure on your sandals. This will allow you to get a feel of the amount of pressure required and the time it takes for the glue to set.
• Use paints in a well-ventilated area.