Quick Sew Solution to Loose Fitting Sandals

I have a problem with shoes being too big and no I can't buy a smaller size as my feet are long and narrow.  If you have this same problem you will know what I mean when I say in winter this is not an issue, I can use an inner sole and socks or tights but sandals never ever fit. My feet just slide to the front and over, this can be very uncomfortable when out walking and any kind of inner sole shows and looks silly.

After coming back from a walk yesterday I had made my mind up that the sandals I had on were going, but after a bit of thought I decided to try something.  Now I wouldn't buy these sandals today anyway as I no longer buy leather but I already own them so in the interests of no waste which I hate, trying to make them a bit better fitting seemed to be the way to go.

I cut a paper template and then put my foot on top to see if it was in the right place and wouldn't show, I also need the padding to be here as this is where the shoes sits above my foot.

I flipped the paper over to make the same one for the other side and had a look in my scrap fabric collection, luckily I had this bit left that is just the right colour. (May as well try and make it pretty.)  This involved cutting two pieces of this fabric for each shoe then I experiment with layers of denim two and three layers, then layers of fleece.  I found two layers of fleece inside was just right for me you may need to experiment depending on the fit of your sandals.

Once I was happy walking around on these I zig zag stitched all the layers in place, this was nice and quick.  I also added a little double side tape to the bottom when I put it in the sandal but it didn't really need it, due to the shape of it there isn't any movement.  That was all there was to it, now my feet don't fall out of the front and it's a little bit of extra softness under foot.

I hope that has been of use and perhaps save a few pairs of sandals from being discarded, you often see wide fit shoes but never narrow ones, or only in selected styles at places like Clarkes, and chunky socks and sandals don't quite go do they?

Last year I actually bought a pair that were fine across the front but the elastic was too tight at the heel, I cut the elastic, added ribbon and did a bit of a refashion on those as well. That can be seen here, Shoe Refashion.