How to Make Ninja Shoes
The recent popularity of Ninjas makes them perfect subjects for costumes. Part of their appeal is their agility, and part of that is having the perfect equipment. The Ninja's tabi shoes are light and flexible with a separate big toe that makes the footwear perfect for balance and climbing quickly. While they'll hardly be authentic, it's possible to make a fairly effective pair at home.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Pair of black socks (slightly larger than the wearer's foot)
- Scissors
- Needle and black thread
- Pair of fabric insoles (wearer's show size)
- Pair of black flip-flops (wearer's shoe size)
- Utility knife
- Awl or nail
- Shoe Goo
Instructions
-
Making the Sock and Template
-
1
Flip one of the socks inside out, and put it on the person who will wear the shoes. Trace the footprint on a piece of plain paper.
-
2
Make a mark on the paper between the big and first toe. Feel between the toes, and poke a pencil through the sock at the point where the toes meet.
-
-
3
Draw a dashed line connecting that mark to its corresponding toes.
-
4
Cut the footprint out. Use this as a template.
-
5
Sew the sock along the dotted lines of the template, making a V shape on the fabric. Stitch it tightly enough to create a sturdy seam.
-
6
Cut the fabric between the toes out, inside the V-shaped stitching. Leave about 1/4-inch between the sewing and the cut.
-
7
Flip the sock inside out again.
Repeat this section for the other sock.
Assembly
-
8
Place one template from above on one of the insoles.
-
9
Trace the template onto the insole using the pencil.
-
10
Cut the insole based on the outline.
-
11
Cut the thong off of the flip-flop.
-
12
Trace the template onto the flip-flop.
-
13
Cut the flip-flop with the utility knife along the template outline.
-
14
Poke the awl or nail through the flip-flop and insole together, repeatedly at 1/2-inch intervals along the edge. Do this about 1/4-inch in from the edges.
-
15
Cover the top of the flip-flop in a film of Shoe Goo. Slide the insole into the sock, lining up the big toes. Stick the sock onto the flip flop.
-
16
Sew the sock onto the flip-flop using the holes you punched earlier.
-
17
Leave the Shoe Goo to dry overnight, place a heavy book on top of the shoe.
Repeat steps 1 through 10 for the other shoe.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Use the thickest thread you can to keep the shoe together longer.
If you cut a channel along the inside of the sole of the flip-flop, between the holes you gouged with your awl or nail, it will keep the thread from dragging on the ground, thus keeping the shoe together longer.
References
More Like This
Comments
-
thanks for this informations.
-
Akiko Fujishima
Feb 05, 2011
Terrible way to make tabi.. might as well save money and buy some of the modern cheap knock offs you can find at martial arts stores for less than 2 dollars.
