Cathy Callahan
Old School
>> Cathy Callahan is a crafter and window dresser who draws
inspiration from vintage crafts. She blogs about 60s and 70s
crafts at
cathyofcalifornia.typepad.com.
Cut-and-Clip Decor
Brightly colored felt flowers add a splash of panache.
One of the ways that people in the
counterculture of the 60s symbolized
rebellion was to decorate or personalize
their clothing. The rules pertaining to traditional
craft techniques like embroidery, stitchery, and
needlepoint were being broken. Just think of the
amazing jackets Jimi Hendrix used to wear.
What was a political statement in the 60s became
fun and playful by the time it hit the mainstream in
the 70s. And since crafts and home sewing were so
popular at the time, it seemed that everyone was in
on the act. I made my own denim bib overalls in my
junior high sewing class and then embellished them
with a turtle appliqué.
Even if you weren’t very crafty, you could always
simply sew on a patch that you purchased at the
fabric store. And, of course, inspiration could be
found in just about any craft magazine.
I found the most adorable project in my copy of
Cut and Glue Décor, a felt and foam how-to booklet
from 1973. It was a pair of lime green vinyl clogs
(with cork soles, no less) decorated with felt flowers.
You simply cut the flowers out of felt with the patterns provided and then glued them on the shoe.
Inspiration could be
found in just about any
craft magazine in the 70s.
Photograph by Cathy Callahan
I thought it was a cute idea, but wouldn’t the felt
get dirty quickly? What if you grew tired of the decor
that was now permanently glued to your shoe? Why
not attach the flowers to clips for more versatility?
Here’s my version that adds a little color to these
neutral espadrilles. You could also attach just about
any other little crafty item (maybe a yarn flower or
a cluster of pompoms) to the clips. ×
MATERIALS AND STEPS
Felt Wool felt works best. Use your
favorite colors.
Your design Create your own or use the pat-
tern provided at
craftzine.com/07/oldschool.
Shoe clips ( 2) available at jewelry suppliers
such as
bergerbeads.net
Needle and thread
Craft glue
1. Trace the pattern and cut out the felt.
2. Figure out the best position of the clip,
where the flower will look best.
3. Stitch the clip to the underside of the
larger flower.
4. Glue the smaller flower and its center on
top of the larger flower; glue the leaves on
the underside.
