DIY Grommet ShoesEver find a pair of shoes like, so cheap, but they kind of just need a little something else but you have to get them because they are just so cheap? That’s what happened with me and these pewter Calvin Klein shoes. I found them and they were really inexpensive, and I thought, “Meh, they are a great color, kinda boring, but for $15 how can I not buy them?”

So I did, and then I decided I wanted to spice them up. And for some reason, grommets were my answer. But I kind of love the way they turned out, and it was really quite simple. So if you have an old or a new pair that you want to embellish, here’s how to do it!

grommetsuppliesYou will need:

  1. hole punch (you may remember that I love my Martha Stewart one)
  2. a rubber ball (you really only need this if you have a screw hole punch like mine)
  3. grommets in the size or sizes you want
  4. a grommet tool, preferable a squeeze tool like this Crop-A-Dile
  5. shoes, obvy

To start, figure out where you want to place your grommets.  Then, holding the grommet in place, trace the interior circle of the grommet onto your shoes with a regular pen. (Don’t use a permanent marker in case you change your mind!)

grommet1

 

grommet2

Once you’ve got your placement on the shoe, it’s time to punch a hole. If you are using a screw punch, which you normally need to use on a self-healing mat, you’ll need something to punch on. I used a small rubber ball, since it fit nicely in the tip of the shoe and provided a cushiony surface for the punch. (The benefit to using a screw punch is that you can punch wherever you want; you don’t need to fit the jaws of a squeeze punch over the edge of the shoe.)

grommet3

My hole punch wasn’t quite big enough for the grommets I chose, so I had to punch a few times around to make the hole big enough.

grommet4

 

grommet5

Insert your grommet with the top going into the shoe, and the bottom on the underside.

grommet6Then, use your grommet tool to crimp the grommet in place. I like to use a squeezing tool because it doesn’t require that you hammer part of the grommet, which can be difficult when you are working inside a shoe.

grommet7

 

grommet8

Complete the same process for any other grommets you want to attach, and then do the other shoe!

grommet9

It’s really simple but also looks unique, and it looks harder than it really is. So you can impress your friends with your mad DIY skillz.

grommet11

 

Share!

{ 2 comments }

Leave a Comment

Cancel reply

  • September 24, 2013, 1:31 pm BWBecky

    So cute! Love. Have you ever done a grommeted bracelet? Can’t remember but would love to see

    Reply
  • October 7, 2013, 8:44 pm anne

    Very cute. I wish you would do another Martha Stewart project!

    Reply