Prep for Warmer Weather With This Cute Sandal DIY

Tools and materials:

• Cords
• Pair of old sandals
• Wooden spoon
• Hot glue gun
• Comb

String the cords

Using a wooden spoon, string the cords, as shown. Yes, a wooden spoon works well. I didn't have anything else, so I improvised and used the spoon. You will need 26 cords plus two shorter ones. So, make sure you have 28 in total. I also measured the exact length so that the cords will cover the entire length of the front part of the sandal. The longer cords will have a 26x17 inch length, and the two shorter cords should be around 2x15 inches.

To string and knot the cords, use a lark's head knot method; fold the cord into 2, loop it through the back, using the wooden spoon's piece as the center. Then, pull the cord through the loop at the back. Watch my video from 1:06 minutes to see exactly how I did this. Put the two shorter cords together on one end.

To make things easier, it’s better to knot the first portion when the cords hang down. As you can see, everything is a makeshift masterpiece in this tutorial, but hey, it works! So go ahead and get creative- find something that will elevate your cords. I used a bunch of sanitary rolls. 

Now, make a half hitch knot all the way across the cords.

Take the second short cord, pull it over to the side and make a knot by feeding through the second cord on the right through the loop. Once you make a knot, drop the first cord down and move over to the next knot in line, this time using the second cord as a guide. You can see exactly how I achieved this by watching my video from 2:30 minutes.

When you are done with the first row, go ahead and repeat the process for the second row. This time, starting with the first knot that is shorter in length.

Now that both rows are knotted, it's time to do a berry knot. Start with a square knot, starting from the left to the right. Take the first 4 strings, and then center the middle two while knotting the other two with a loop. With your hands, loop it through the back and push the knot higher as you go along. Skip to 3:42 minutes to see how it's done.

Work your way down by switching sides every time; starting the loop from the right.

Once you've knotted 5 berry knots, take the whole attachment and pass it through the middle. Finally, make one last square knot to tie it in place.

Go ahead and repeat the process on the other cords. As you can see, I decided to switch back to a flat surface. You can do whatever is more comfortable for you.

Now, working from right to left, make another two rows of half stitch knots.

Now cut the excess cords, remove your knotted piece from the spoon, and untie the top loops. Then, cut through the loop's center, as shown. Also, tie any bits on either end.

Give the pieces on either a good trim to your desired length and frill the ends.

Also, comb out the fringes. Repeat this entire process so that you have a corded piece for your second shoe.

Glue the on cords

Using a glue gun, generously add glue to the whole surface area of your sandal.

Next, glue on your full cord piece and let it dry also trim the edges if necessary 

We are pretty much done! Not only have you learnt how to transform old sandals into something new, but also you now know a few knot tricks. I love How this cord piece really enhances the sandal and gives it a fresher vibe. I hope you had fun! Happy cording.