Boot inserts

Didn't think I'd have a finish today, but the weather predictions aren't great, so I pulled out my new boots this afternoon and decided they needed some inserts to keep them from flopping over when I'm not wearing them. (Also, I'm procrastinating on basting a quilt). 

It didn't take long to make these at all--it took longest to pick out a fabric. After sorting (and sorting), I just couldn't cut into some of my newer, cuter stuff (sad, but true). I came across a piece that I bought and then rejected for a quilt last year. I'm not crazy about it, but it was big enough so it made the cut, literally, for my inserts. I cut four pieces about 21 inches long, 5 inches at one end and about 6 1/2 on the other. I seamed the sides and narrower end, pinched and stitched triangles to make the bottom shaped like a paper bag, turned them right side out, and stuffed all my old skinny batting scraps in each one. It's amazing how much room those scraps took in the closet and how little they take in the inserts! After putting the inserts in the boots, I folded in the top edges of the fabric until they seemed the right height. 

I made a ribbon from a piece of fabric (about 2 by 18 inches) by folding the long edges to the middle, folding in half and topstitching all around. I made sort of a pleat by folding the top hems in from the side seams about an inch on each side of the seams and inserted the ribbon between at the mid point of the hems. Then I topstitched them together. It was kind of hard to sew them with all that batting in the way, but I didn't want to waste time with hand sewing. I should have taken some pictures to show--but that would have taken time and I was on a mission. 

Oops--blurry

The ribbon keeps the inserts together and can hang from a door knob. I got the idea for that part from this blog post--which has way cuter inserts. But they're done, and I just saw a snowflake so I'm all set for whatever happens next weatherwise.  

Now that I have a prototype, maybe I should make some (neater) ones for Christmas gifts.

I'm linking up with crazy mom quilts for Finish It Up Friday, because I'm proud to have cleaned out one fabric scrap and a whole bunch of batting scraps from my closet.