DIY: Studded Sneaks and a Cure for “The Rush”

You know that rush you get when you buy something new? How you want to wear it or use it over and over again right away? It’s like getting a crazy new hairstyle or an impromptu piercing or tattoo; you’re intoxicated and want to show it off when you first do it, but when that initial excitement wears off, you’re left with nothing but a hole in your lip, ‘firetruck-engine-red’ hair, or a tattoo of a skull on your forearm (don’t worry Mom and Dad—I did not get a tattoo of a skull on my forearm). If any of what I just said sounds a little too familiar to you, I hate to be the one to tell you, but you’re addicted to that rush: the initial excitement. For someone who’s an unadmitting shopaholic (or spendaholic as my friend Allison now calls it) like me, this could cause you to spend so much more money than you need to be spending on things you’ll wear maybe once or twice—until the next new thing comes along.

The cure? Making something new out of something old. This is a great way to cut down on spending (and eventually maybe your addiction) and I PROMISE you’ll get that same rush. I know I did with these new sneaks.

 BEFORE

AFTER

I bought these almost 5 years ago and have worn them only twice — to two muddy Indiana Football tailgates. I’ve now worn them for 4 days straight—that’s every single day since I’ve studded them—and have been referring to them as my “new sneakers.”

Materials:

**Several sites will tell you that you need to buy a dart awl, a stud prong press or a fancy hole punch, among other things, but I found I was able to use things I had laying around the house as the tools for this project, and I didn’t have to spend a dime.

The Shoes You Want to Stud – At least for your first project, I don’t recommend using a pair or shoes that you love or wear a lot. I used an old pair of sneakers I’ve hardly worn that I bought form Frugal Fannies for about $10.

Studs – I found it impossible to find them ANYWHERE in stores in the Boston area, so I got mine at studsandspikes.com. I’m sure you can find them elsewhere online, and if you do find them in stores..please let me know where!!

Scissors – or something sharp to poke holes through the sneaker that you can use to replace the dart awl. I used a pair of sharp eyebrow trimming scissors. You could also try an x-acto knife.

Flathead Screwdriver – or something flat and sturdy you can use to replace the stud prong press. You could also try using the back side of a small spoon or butter knife.

Pliers – In order to secure the studs and make sure the ends of the prongs weren’t going to stick out (and either get caught on something or scrape my skin), I found it very necessary to use these. Unfortunately I can’t really think of a replacement for them, so if you don’t have any laying around the house (or in your dad’s old tool box in my case) I would absolutely recommend buying a pair. You can use them for a lot more than you realize and can get them for as little as $3 or $4 at any hardware store.

What I spent:

Studs Total: $2.64

Original Price of Sneakers: $10

Total COST : $12.64

Total TIME:~2.5 hours

And now for the “How-To.” Here are the step by step instructions with accompanying photos that will show you how to make your own studded sneaks or shoes. If you like what you see but don’t have the time (or energy) to  make them yourself, don’t hesitate to place a custom order with me!

Instructions:

1) Decide where you want to place the stud. Once you have decided on a position, push the stud’s prongs firmly against the sneaker to make two slight indents.

2) Quickly place the stud aside and grab the scissors to poke holes through the indents you made. Wiggle the scissors around slightly when you poke them through, so the slots are stretched enough for the prongs to fit through.

3) Push the stud through the slots.

4) Secure the stud with the flathead screwdriver by bending the prongs inward. Make sure you are holding onto the stud as you’re doing so, so the stud won’t come back through the slots.

5) Now that the stud is through and the prongs have been flattened, take the pliers to secure the stud. Do this by tightly squeezing the prongs around either side of the stud. When it’s finished, the prongs of the stud should look and feel like they are bent slightly into the sneaker.

6) Your stud should now look like this, and be very secure. If it seems loose for any reason, make sure you really tighten it with the pliers!

7) Repeat steps 1-6 for the rest of your studs. **Remember: less is (usually) more; try not to over-stud!

You should now have your finished product—an awesome new pair of shoes!

Let me know if you have questions about any of the steps or materials! You can e-mail me at willcraftforshoes@gmail.com, or comment on here!