How to Make Cloth Ninja Tabi Boots

Everyone's seen those "cardboard sole and socks" tabi, but we want to go to good lengths and make a real tabi. Ninja tabi. Here's how.

1. Make a mold for each foot for the soles using Pliatex rubber mold. This is available at craft shops. Follow the kit's instructions.
2. Mold the rubber soles.
3. Cut out insoles of canvas to the shape and size of your foot.
4. Fit the canvas insole to the rubber sole.
5. Select your material for uppers in soft leather, or double weight, dark blue denim.
6. Sew without overlapping the seams between the big toe and the rest of the foot.
7. Fit it into the shape of your 3-D foot, and then sew it and the insole onto the sole of your tabi. You will need to punch holes in the rubber as the sewing needle can not sew through it.
8. Shape the tabi shoe toes both the same to match.
9. Sew (something like) button holes for a string-laced closure, or Sew in a Zipper in each tabi now, or use clasps for closing your tabi, and you're done.

• Use heavy duty threads.
• Use large needles.
• An icepick could be used to punch the holes in the sole.

• Pliatex rubber mold kit
• Canvas or denim (insole)
• Leather or denim (uppers)
• Scissors
• Needle(s)
• Thread
• Shoe lace-strings, zippers or clasps
• Sewing machine (optional)