In this step-by-step tutorial, I will explain how you can add your own design to a pair of Clarks Wallabees. I gathered a bunch of old T-shirts from around my house and dyed them different colors using some simple dying techniques. You can use any material you like, I chose T-shirts because they are cheap, can be dyed easily, and didn't fit me. I started by ripping the shirts apart and sewed up a skin with the bits of scrap.
Step One: I wanted to go for a quilted look so i cut up some half inch foam roughly in the shape of the skin.
Step Two: I Pinned down my fabric onto the foam.
Step Three: I sewed some wave-like lines in the fabric parallel to each other in one direction. Once I was done, I did the same kind of lines perpendicular.
It's good practice to estimate where you want your graphics to go in relation to the panel that you will be using. I would crop the graphics a bit so it doesn't look too predictable.
Step Four: With a blade, cut the toe-box off of the Wallabees. If your nice, you should be able to cut once near the top, and "un-lace" the stitch. (Avoid less injuries and it is sometimes faster)
Step Five: Get a damp rag, place it flat on the leather. Iron the leather completely flat, you will be using this piece as a template.
Step Six: Pin down the leather to your panel, draw with a fabric crayon the outline of the leather. At this point you can cut it out.
Step Seven: (Optional) Since I did a quilt, it would look like shit if i didn't do an embroidery stitch around the outline. (if i were to cut it, the foam would be visible and would look like a nasty mess), you can do a simple stitch at least, it really doesn't matter. I call this a "patch stitch" to do it, you have to set your sewing machine to a zig-zag stitch then adjust the distance of stitch to 0-1.5. (close together as possible)
Step Eight: Take the leather that you ironed out earlier and use the pre-existing holes and draw onto the fabric underneath. (I usually use a pen for this just so I can see it easily, the stitch covers up the pen anyways.)
Step Nine: Do some back stretches, then use a sewing awl and sew it all up. I would work from the outside of the panel and push into the middle of the shoe. If you do the other way, the tension won't be right, and your loops will be visible on the outside, you want them to be right in the middle of the fabric layers. When using a sewing Awl, make sure you extract enough thread to reach the destination. Pull out extra if your scared.
Step Ten: Once you complete both shoes, you will need to punch holes for the laces, grab a rotary hole punch, find the right size of hole and press hard. I stick the die through the first hole and use it as a guide so it lines up perfectly. Lace them up and you're good.
