Tutorial : Gumboots to Pixie Puddlers

I had just struggled out of my gumboots, was rubbing my calves where the tops of the boots chafed, noted that my socks were damp because my feet sweat enclosed in all that rubber but was thinking, in spite of all those drawbacks, how wonderfully comfortable the wellies were.

   That's when I noticed the decorative lines around the foot of the boot and suddenly thought - "wow - if I cut that top line those would look like pixie boots".

And they did!

My feet slipped into and out of them easily.

And I would find that my feet did not sweat.

And my calves did not chafe.

I wanted to personalize them so I punched holes around the top......

and wove some orange cotton to match the soles of the boots....added some buttons.....made another pair from a pair of kids boots.....cut down a man's size......threaded through some 'silver' ....

... the family is ready to step out.....

What do do with the cut off tops?  One use is to turn them into shawl/scarf pins like these.

I went even further with this pair and cut them down to the next line.  The tiny clothespins were a gift from a son who saw them in New York and got them for me because he knows I love hanging laundry out on a clothesline to dry and that I use wooden pins with words written on them.  Stacked meaning in an object makes it more and more worthwhile.

Comments

[Crafty Gardener]

Very creative. I love this idea.

[Esther]

Unbelievable!!! what a neat idea to make rubber boots look 'classy'!!!
I enjoy your blog so very much!
Missed you at the Knitter's Guild today...

[susan]

thanks for the cute tute. now i have to start looking for these at the thrift store. i'd best put it on my list.

[breah]

that is so cute my mom made my little brother and sister some of thows

[karen]

Hello Breah Thanks for telling me that your mom made these - they are fun.

[Katherine]

I saw these on the knottybynature.blogspot and just had to come look at how you did these - what a GREAT idea...now I need to find my 'old' scissors to cut up my boots that sit in the back of the closet!!

Thanks Karen

[karen]

You are welcome, Katherine. I think you will be quite pleased with the 'evolution'. And if you personalize yours, let me know.

[Toni]

Me thinks I'm going to do something like this with my Duck Boots. Thank you for the ideas!

[karen]

Hi Toni. You are welcome!

[Kit]

Heh- very cute , but useless for our family- our puddles are a bit deeper methinks,lol!

[karen]

The image of your deep deep puddles gave me pause and then a chuckle - heck, those must be ponds! Thanks, Kit.