DIY Missoni Chevron Shoes
Step 1: Gather supplies.
One pair of white canvas sneakers
Ruler
Manila file folder or other stiff paper
Pencil
Scissors
Fabric markers in various colors (ones with both a thick and thin tip are best)
Step 2:
Using the ruler, draw a straight line near the edge of the manila file folder.
Step 3:
Draw a second line a half-inch down from the first one. Use the ruler to make tick marks at every half-inch interval on both lines.
Step 4:
Next, create a zig-zag pattern inside the two parallel lines by connecting every other tic. For example, start at the bottom left-hand corner of the lower line, and connect to the second tic mark on the upper line. Connect the second tic-mark on the upper line to the third tic mark on the lower line, and so on.
Step 5:
Now that you've just created all of those triangles, cut away the lower row of them (sorry!). You should be left with what looks like a row of teeth at the bottom of the folder. Feel free to use this template to create a shark or bear costume for Halloween.
Step 6:
Okay, now take out your plain canvas shoes and remove the laces—you don't want to color over them, nor do you want to try to color around them.
Step 7:
Position the template onto the toe of the sneaker. You'll be working your way from the front to the back of the shoe. Position the template wherever you like it best, but we felt it was easiest to keep things lined up by having the point of one triangle in the center of the shoe.
Step 8: Move the template back and trace another row of triangles, making sure all of the points more or less match up with the previous rows. To get a true Missoni look, vary the spacing of the template—there's no right and wrong with this, so feel free to have lots of thin rows and then one giant row, followed by a medium and small row, and so on.
Step 9: Okay, now it's time for the fun part! Grab your fabric markers and start coloring in the rows, making sure that each row is a different color. The colors don't have to be spaced evenly or in any sort of pattern (but go for it if you want!), so feel free to switch it up as much as you'd like. If your markers have differently sized tips, use the thin edge to outline the rows, and the thick to fill them in.
Step 10: To make your kicks look extra-polished, make sure you color the inside rim of the sneaker! You've come all this way, so don't skimp out on this step.
Step 11:
Now, it's time to color the tongue of the sneaker. This part can be a little awkward since it's hard to get a good angle, but don't worry, since you only see a little bit of the tongue, you don't have to be too accurate. Just do your best and color the parts you can see, trying to match the colors and patterns from either side of the shoe.
Step 12:
All that's left to do now is lace up the sneakers and take them for a test drive! Your friends are going to be so enamored with your DIY skills, that they're going to try to get you to make them a pair. Beware!
