August 15, 2019

Types of sandal straps in shoemaking

Sandals, in general, are one of the simplest footwear types in shoemaking. It is a simple type because its upper consists in most cases from the straps. 

It doesn't mean that you can do it without any previous knowledge but comparing with other footwear types pattern construction is easier. 

Note: One of the most important things in sandal making is to make a pattern with marks of the sandal upper and I already taught you how to make it. If you missed this tutorial “Want to Learn this Sandal Making tutorial?” here is a Want To Learn This Sandal Making Technique?

Now, there are few types of sandal straps in shoemaking. Each of these types  has their own rules of pattern making and its own way of making. 

There is also sandals type that is constructed not only from the straps but has a full shoe upper like in any other footwear type. To make this sandal type it requires more shoemaking knowledge and knowledge of certain rules of construction than making the simple sandals with straps. 

In my 1 year shoemaking program I have this type of sandals and you can check how the upper part of this sandal type looks to have an idea what I am talking about. 

Now, that’s discover what types of sandal straps there are in shoemaking to use them in making of your shoes.

Types of sandal straps in shoemaking

1. Elegant sandals straps with width of 8 mm and more

Sandals made
Sandals with elegant cover

This sandal strap type has folding. I called it elegant but, of course, this type will be excellent with the sport- sandals style as well. 

What is important here is the width of these straps. The width must be  8 mm and more, but not less than 8mm, otherwise it will require different pattern making approach and it will be the next type that I will discover with you in this post.

Why the width of these straps start form 8 mm? It is because for folding we add 4mm and after we will fold these straps we will get the width of 8mm.

Note:  BTW, if you missed the series of posts with full step by step shoe making tutorials on how to fold the shoe upper starting from the  cutting and finishing with the folding , you can find here:

How to Cut Leather for Shoes Correctly?!

How to Skive Leather in Shoemaking?!

How to Reinforce the Shoe Top-line in Shoemaking?!

How To Fold a Shoe Upper?![Making of Shoes]

So back to the sandal straps…

That is why using this shoemaking approach you can make sandals straps with minimum width of 8mm.

2. Narrow Elegant sandals straps with the width less than 8mm 

Drawing of sandals

These sandals straps also have folding but the approach of their creation is different than in the previous sandals straps type.

 If to make the first type you can add for folding our usiall 4mm, so here to make these straps you can’t do it. It is impossible because the total width of these straps after folding is less than 8mm.  

Using this shoemaking approach of sandals strap making you will be able to make very narrow straps with the width of 2mm. 

So you just imagine that you can make sandal straps that will look  like laces!

3.  Sandal straps with raw edge

Sandals with wide straps
Sandal straps with raw edge

The edges of these straps don’t have folding and have raw cut. 

To make these sandals straps type you will need to use different pattern making and shoemaking approach than in the making of two previous types.

4.  Soft sandal straps

Sandals with soft strap

This type of sandal straps I called “soft type” because it doesn’t have solid construction like in the straps with folding and with raw edge. 

You can manipulate with these straps and make knots, folds e.c.t.

To make these soft sandals straps you need to use absolutely different pattern making and shoemaking technique. 

So these are all possible types of the sandal straps you can use to make your own sandals. 

There is also sandal upper with turn over seams

Sandals straps with seam

but in most of the sandals straps you don’t need to use it. 

You can see that this turn over seam (invisible seam) is in the middle of this sandal upper.

Now, let’s start to how to make the first sandals straps type-

Elegant sandals straps with width of 8 mm and more.

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About the author 

Sveta Kletina

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