By Madeline Bachelder

You know the routine: With each new season comes new shoe trends that we’re all dying to try ourselves. This year, sporty chic and all-fringe-everything are dominating the runways and seriously tempting us to break those personal shopping budgets. But, as they say (err, as we say), why buy when you can DIY? With just a few scraps of leather, you can update last season’s strappy sandals into some serious 2015 footwear. We actually used leftover pieces of leather from our Leather Fringe Jewelry Kit to make these beauties come to life. Scroll on to learn how yourself.

3 Hacks to Make Last Season’s Sandals Feel New Again

THE TASSEL TRICK

Materials
– strappy shoes (we used Old Navy heels)
– leather scraps
– E6000 glue or a hot glue gun
– pencil or pen
– ruler
– fabric scissors

Instructions
1. To make each tassel, cut a 2.5 x 4-inch swatch of leather. Draw a line about 1/3 inch from the top of each swatch on the back side of the leather. Then carefully cut up to this line to make the tassel’s fringe.
2. Cut a separate small strip of leather — this will be the top loop of your tassel. Using E6000 or a hot glue gun, glue both ends of this strip to the top left of your fringed leather swatch to make a loop. Starting at this loop, tightly roll the uncut part of the leather, gluing as you go. Repeat these steps to make at least five more tassels.
3. Once all of your tassels are dry, slip them onto the top strap of your sandal. Then trim them to your liking.

Did we mention how affordable this DIY is? SUPER affordable. Your wallet should be thanking us :)

To make each tassel, cut a 2.5 x 4-inch swatch of leather. Draw a line about 1/3 inch from the top of each swatch on the back side of the leather. Then carefully cut up to this line to make the tassel’s fringe.

Pro Tip: The wider each piece of fringe, the more stiff the tassel.

Cut a separate small strip of leather — this will be the top loop of your tassel.

Using E6000 or a hot glue gun, glue both ends of this strip to the top left of your fringed leather swatch to make a loop. Starting at this loop, tightly roll the uncut part of the leather, gluing as you go. Repeat these steps to make at least five more tassels.

Are you in love with tassels as much as we are? Learn how to make them out of all sorts of materials here.

Slip your tassels onto the top strap of your shoe. We put three on each, but who says you should stop there?

Try on your shoe, then trim the fringe to your liking.

Ta-daaah! You just turned a perfectly plain set of heels into kicky, fun shoes.

GET FRINGE-Y WITH IT

Materials
– strappy shoes (we used ones from Forever 21)
– leather scraps
– E6000 glue or a hot glue gun
– pencil or pen
– ruler
– fabric scissors

Instructions
1. Measure your shoe strap to determine how long your leather swatch should be.
2. Cut a leather swatch that’s about two times as long as it is wide (we cut a 3 x 6.5-inch swatch). Next, cut a pointed tip at one end of the swatch. Then fold your swatch in half to mirror this cut on the other end. Cut the leather in half while it’s still folded so you have two identical pentagons.
3. Draw a line about 1/2 inch from the top of each piece of leather (make sure it is drawn on the back side!). Carefully cut fringe up to this line.
4. Glue the fringed swatch to the strap of your sandal, making sure it’s centered on the shoe. Let dry.

How fresh is that teal leather? You can thank our Leather Fringe Jewelry Kit for that :)

First up — measure the shoe strap to determine how long your leather swatch should be.

Cut a leather swatch that’s about two times as long as it is wide (we cut a 3 x 6-inch swatch). Next, cut a pointed tip at one end of the swatch. Then fold your swatch in half to mirror this cut on the other end. Cut the leather in half while it’s still folded so you have two identical pentagons.

Draw a line about 1/2 inch from the top of each piece of leather (make sure it’s drawn on the back side!). Carefully cut fringe up to this line.

Fringe, you’re so pretty.

Using E6000 or a hot glue gun, glue the fringed swatch to the strap of your sandal, making sure it is centered on the shoe. Let dry.

Cute, right?!

THE GOOD SPORT SANDAL

Materials
– strappy sandals (we used Old Navy sandals)
– leather scraps (2 colors)
– E6000 glue or a hot glue gun
– pencil or pen
– ruler
– fabric scissors

Instructions
1. Measure the strap to which you’ll be adding the embellishment. Cut a swatch of leather that is the same length and about one inch wide. Using a different colored leather, cut another swatch that is equal length and half the width of the first color.
2. Glue the thinner swatch down the center of the wide piece using E6000 or a hot glue gun. Let dry.
3. Carefully glue one corner of your leather to the edge of the strap, only covering about 1/3 of the shoe’s fabric. Glue sparingly as you go, pasting the rest of the strap down. Add extra glue to each edge to ensure the leather will stay put. Let dry before wearing.

TBH, these pink strappy shoes are pretty gorgeous on their own. Three cheers for Old Navy.

Measure the strap to which you’ll be adding the embellishment.

Cut a swatch of leather that is the same length as your shoe strap and about one inch wide. Using a different colored leather, cut another swatch that is equal length and half the width of the first color.

Glue the thinner swatch onto the center of the thicker piece of leather. Let dry.

Because a thicker shoe strap is very much in style, we decided to make this bottom strap wider with the leather.

Rather than gluing your leather directly over the bottom strap, glue it just above, so you’re only covering about 1/3 of the shoe’s fabric. Add extra glue to each end to keep the leather in place.

All done! FYI, we adore these.

How easy was that? Leather might just be our new favorite DIY medium.

Click here for the full tutorial.

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