Hop to it and make these cute little fuzzy bunny slippers from recycled felted wool sweaters to keep the kid in your life snuggly warm. This free slipper pattern features a cute little face with floppy ears on the slipper toe…
…and a little tail on the slipper back.
The snuggly wool interior and no-slip slipper bottom make for safe hopping on hardwood floors.
I saw some animal slippers over the holidays and thought I could sew up an even more cute and comfy version for my 2-1/2 year old daughter, Elise, from items already in my craft closet. So I felted some wool sweaters to recycle the sweaters into more useful things, choosing the green super soft felted sweater for these slippers.
You can use my free bunny slipper sewing pattern as a base to make all kinds of creatures – bears, cats, dogs, you name it. And the bunny slipper sewing pattern can be sized up on a copier for bigger kids or kids-at-heart. Hippity hoppity!
Supplies for making fuzzy bunny slippers from recycled felted sweaters:
- Kathy’s free bunny slipper pattern (PDF)
- One felted wool sweater (mine was an old green 100% wool sweater)
- One piece of cream wool felt
- One piece of pink felt
- Black embroidery thread and hand sewing needle
- Grip stop fabric for slipper bottom (cotton fabric with little non-slip rubber circle grippers)
- Thread
- Pins
- Fabric scissors
- Sewing machine
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How to make fuzzy bunny slippers from recycled felted sweaters
Gather supplies and cut out pattern pieces
Gather bunny slipper supplies.
I’ve been asked how to size this pattern up and to tell you the truth I’m not 100% sure. Here’s what I think might work to properly size the pattern: Print out all pieces. Increase (or decrease) the size of the sole on a copier to fit your desired foot size plus about 1/2″ around all sides (I had Elise step on a piece of paper and I drew around her foot). Now use what ever copier setting you needed to use to get the sole to fit properly (125%, 150%, 200%) to increase the size of all other pattern pieces proportionally.
To felt sweaters: Felt and recycle old wool sweaters by machine washing them in hot water and drying in the dryer. They should shrink and thicken up – if you can still see the thread pattern then repeat the process. I felted two 100% wool sweaters and decided to use the green.
Cut out Side 1 and Side 2 slipper upper pieces out of the felted wool (be sure the wool is smooth before cutting, my edges were a little curly). Place Side 2 right side up on your table. Cut one bunny tail out of cream wool felt. Place the bunny tail on the back side of Side 2 about one inch from the bottom edge.
Sandwich the bunny tail by placing the Right Side piece on top, right sides together.
Pin the back seam and the top seam, leaving the bottom and foot opening unpinned and unsewn.
Sew back seam and top seam using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Repeat this for the other slipper.
Make and attach the bunny’s cute little face
Cut two faces from cream wool felt.
Cut four cream bunny ears.
Cut two inner bunny ears out of pink felt.
Place the pink inner ear on top of the cream bunny ears.
Sew down the center of the ear to secure the pink felt to the cream felt – the pink will be open on both sides and that’s OK, that’s how I like it.
Pinch the bottom edge of the ear and sew a few stitches close to the bottom edge of the ear to make a little pleat – this will help the ears stick up more on the finished slipper.
Cut out a pink nose and place on the bunny face. Using a water-soluble fabric pen, trace around a small button (or draw a circle freehand) for two eyes.
Fill in the eyes using a satin stitch embroidery thread and a back stitch. Repeat to make the second bunny face.
Repeat for the other bunny face.
Take one bunny face, two ears and one slipper upper.
Pin the bunny face on top of the slipper, slipping the ears between the two layers about 1/4″.
Sew across the top of the bunny face close to the edge to secure the bunny face and ears to the slipper.
Stitch around the perimeter of the face to secure it all around – it will make it easier to attach the sole later.
Turn the slipper inside out and set aside. Repeat for the other slipper.
Make and attach the slipper’s non-slip sole
Cut out two inside soles from felted wool sweaters. You’ll want to cut one with the arch facing to the left, then flip the pattern upside down and cut out one with the arch facing to the right.
Repeat to cut out two bottom soles from the grip stop fabric so you have one with the arch facing to the left, then flip the pattern upside down and cut out one with the arch facing to the right.
Place the bottom sole (grip stop fabric) face down on your table. Lay the inner wool sole on top, right side up, matching arches.
Pin together placing pins on the grip stop fabric side.
Baste together very close to the edge – it will make it easier to attach the sole later. And here’s a tip: Place a piece of paper underneath your presser foot to keep the little rubber circle grippers on the fabric from gripping onto your presser foot. Nice, huh?
When it’s all sewn, you’ll have the grippers on the sole bottom with a nice soft felted wool sole inside to keep your feet cozy.
Now you’re going to attach the sole to the slipper. Pin the middle back first – middle of the sole pinned to the back seam of the slipper upper.
Then move to the front – pinch the sole in the half to find its center.
Pin together, placing pins on the slipper upper side (rather than on the sole side).
It will look like this:
Sew around to attach at a 1/4″ seam.
I used both a straight stitch at a 1/4″ seam plus a zigzag stitch and I think it looks pretty professional if I do say so myself.
Turn right side out.
You can use a bone folder to help push out the seams.
Attach slipper cuff
Now make the cuff. Cut out two cuffs from the sweater ribbing.
Fold in half, right sides together, and sew a 1/4″ seam to make a circle.
Turn right side out.
Stuff the cuff inside the top of the slipper, ribbing side down, so that the raw edges meet. Pin.
You can see that it’s all tucked inside.
Sew at a 1/4″ seam allowance.
Pull the cuff straight up…
…then fold it in half to hide the stitches. Repeat for the other slipper. You’re done.
Slip on the slippers and stay warm and cozy all winter. Hippity, hoppity!
Did you make it? Please post a comment and let me know how this craft idea works for you. And share your own photos at the MerrimentDesign.com Facebook page, “I made it!” flickr photo gallery or tweet a picture to @merrimentdesign. Craft and pass it on!
COPYRIGHT NOTE: You’re more than welcome to use free pattern and how to step-by-step tutorial for your own personal use. Contact me for any commercial use – this includes etsy sellers.
I can’t get enough of these. What an adorable idea, and your nail polish rocks.
Thanks, Heather! And yeah, I wish I could have my nails painted all the time…
any tips for changing this to fit a larger size?
Hi Sarah, to tell you the truth I’m not 100% sure. Here’s what I think might work to properly size the pattern: Print out all pieces. Increase (or decrease) the size of the sole on a copier to fit your desired foot size plus about 1/2″ around all sides. Now use what ever copier setting you needed to use to get the sole to fit properly (125%, 150%, 200%) to increase the size of all other pattern pieces proportionally. But I haven’t tried it myself. My guess is that if you’re sizing it up a bit then it will be OK, but if you’re trying to size it up a lot of sizes it may be off. Sorry I can’t help more confidently!
thanks!