Needles 'n' Knowledge: Mrs. Santa boot

Fun and festive, this Mrs. Kringle boot is composed of

front and back base panels that are layered for thickness,

and attached to a shaped container structure between.

Front (and duplicate back) boot has decorative detail,

including eyelet rings, bracket, cuff & heel accents

with faux stitched cutouts, snowflake flourish at upper,

swirl at toe, and box-pleated lace strip at top opening.

Thread ribbon or lacing through eyelets then knot and bow for realism.

Add “Jingle Bell 3D Holly Sprig” at toe

(twine tie through pair of punch holes),

and “Kringle Kisses Tag” for extra style.

(Assembly guide for Tag begins in step 23.)

Boot measures approx. 7.35” tall x 6.2” wide

x 2.125” deep when finished.

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A boot front (right side; 3 for layering thickness)

B front inner layer with guide marks

C boot back (left; 3 for layering thickness)

D back inner layer with guide marks

E boot decorative back (and front; cut 1 each)

F eyelet bracket back (and front; cut 1 each)

G heel upper overlay (cut 1 front, 1 back)

H heel stack overlay (cut 1 front, 1 back)

I & J sole shapes (cut 1 set front, 1 set back)

K cuff (cut 1 front, 1 back)

L box pleated lace strip (cut 1 front, 1 back)

M snowflake accent (cut 1 front, 1 back)

N swirl accent (cut 1 front, 1 back)

O & P vessel back and front

Q-S boxing strips for vessel (see step 9)

2. Identify the boot back (or front) main layering shape

AND the companion inner shape which includes guide

marks for positioning and attaching the vessel walls

later on in the assembly.

3. Position, layer and join the three back (or front)

main boot shapes, taking care to align all cut edges

- including lacing holes and bottom 'sole' edges -

as precisely as possible. Then . . .

. . . reverse the inner front (or back) guide mark shape

and layer in the backside of the stack, aligning

ALL edges in the same precise manner, then joining.

To help the stacks each remain as flat as possible

and to void warping or curling, particularly when using

liquid adhesive, PRESS flat under a large heavy weight

such as the wood plank shown, a large book volume or

other similar object, for a couple of hours or longer,

until adhesive is completely dried and no longer cool to touch.

4. Assemble the back (and front) boot decoration

using the shapes laid out here.

A. attach 7 eyelet rings over the lacing holes on bracket;

B. attach sole shape onto heel stack;

C. attach front sole shape on toe bottom edge;

D. attach lacing bracket and heel stack;

E. position heel and cuff shapes;

5. Prepare the lace edging by folding on the perforation

lines in alternating "mountain" and "valley" directions

to form box pleating as shown here.

HINT: three-scallop panels are 'fronts' with "mountain"

folds on each side, with 'backs' that have "valley" folds.

Press and glue pleats in place along the bottom

within scant 1/4" of bottom edge.

6. Position the pleating behind the top/cuff edge

so that it is overlapped by approx. 1/4" , then

glue together where they overlap.

7. Position and attach the snowflake (abutted at lower

cuff edge, with dots in-line below) and swirl

accents. Press under a flat weight if possible until dry.

8. Position and attach the decoration assembly

onto corresponding main boot layered stack (once dried)

taking care to align lacing holes, and also bottom straight

edges as precisely as possible, with narrow offset margin

all around. Press under flat weight until dry.

9. Identify the inner vessel assembly shapes:

A right/front panel B left/back panel

C back boxing strip D bottom boxing strip

E front/tongue boxing strip

10. Prepare the front and back shapes by bending

the front tongue area edge flanges back.

11. NOTE that the strips include tiny symbols in

end tabs or side tabs to assist in assembly order.

Here, the small circle symbol is shown in back

boxing strip bottom side tabs, with corresponding

symbol in the bottom back end tab.

12. Prepare back and bottom boxing strips by bending

side tabs back, and also bending back

on cross perforations.

To assist in visualizing how the assembly will progress,

arrange the strips (back, bottom, front) around

the front vessel main panels, re-bending in opposite

direction as needed to echo the edge angles of panel.

13. Begin the boxing strip attachment at the back top

of the front panel, positioning the back top long tab

of back strip at the corresponding edge of the boot shape,

with top/end edges aligned, and boot shape edge

overlapping tab to align precisely at perforation bend;

adjust strip to match edge end and bend angle, and join.

14. Continue the joining sequence by adding adhesive

to the next segment of boxing strip, then position and

join to panel edge.

15. Repeat the alignment and attachment steps

for the remaining edges tabs and panel edges

along the back strip. HINT: it may be helpful to

add adhesive to a couple of tabs, align as group

before attaching, which may assist with alignment.

NOTE: it is also helpful to place the assembly face side

down on flat surface to apply fingertip pressure along

the tabs of the seam to assist with secure attachment.

16. Prepare to attach the next (bottom) strip by

making sure the circle ends are being joined, then . . .

. . . slip the end tab of bottom strip under the end

of attached back strip, center and attach.

17. Position and attach bottom strip tabs along panel

edge in the same manner as before, until all edge tabs

are attached in place.

18. Position front strip lower end to end of bottom (toe)

strip by slipping tab under joined strip end,

align perforation with straight edge, and attach in place.

19. Position strip edges to overlap panel front tabs

to perforation edge, and join along the three edges.

NOTE: the top "tongue" end will extend above

the panel's top edge as shown.

20. Repeat steps 14-19 to position and attach

the opposite side panel to boxing strip tabs

all around. NOTE: it will be particularly useful to

reach finger(tips) through access openings in panels

to be able to align and apply pressure to seams.

21. Position each left or right decoration assembly onto

the corresponding edge of inner vessel assembly . . .

. . . using lacing holes to register position (take care

that these holes in all layers align as precisely as possible)

and also aligning vessel edges at/within guide marks

on inner edge of layered panel stack; also make sure

bottom straight edges of panel stack and vessel

align so that boot will sit flat on surface when completed.

22. Repeat step 21 to position and attach the second

boot assembly to vessel.

Here is the completed boot box.

22. Thread a 1 to 1.125 yard length of cord, lace

or soft ribbon on a long needle, then thread through

bottom lacing holes AND through vessel at the same time,

center ribbon length, then continue lacing as desired

up the sequence of lacing holes. Knot and tie bow

at top as desired.

The sample project includes painted wooden balls

or beads attached to ribbon ends.

The separate design "Jingle Bell 3D Holly Sprig"

can be assembled and attached at boot's toe

by threading attachment cord or twine through bell's

top punch tab and then through the pair of holes

at boot toe.

KRINGLE KISSES TAG
Tag can be an additional embellishment to boot.

23. Identify and cut the shapes:

A tag base layer

B inner layer (shows through oval opening of front)

C front layer

D "kisses" stencil cutout underlay contrast

E chocolate kiss underlay contrast

F chocolate kiss shape with "plume" strip

G kringle word cut out

H holly leaves pair top and underlay

I berries welded trio base plus 2 separate circles

24. Complete press assembly:

A. layer and attach holly with contrast underlay;

B layer separate berry circles onto trio base;

C. bend plume strip at angle perforation marks;

tuck bottom edge under kiss edge and attach.

25. Position inner tag layer behind front panel

so that hang holes at top align precisely,

with narrow offset edges all around.

26. Position bottom contrast panel into window

and attach.

27. Position and attach front/inner assembled layers

onto front of tag base, aligning hang holes, etc.

28. Position and attach the heart contrast circle

into recess window, then position and attach

choc kiss assembly, centered, in oval window

so that heart has contrast show through appropriately.

NOTE that plume will extend above oval frame.

29. Position and attach holly at lower shaped

edge of front panel where edges will match, then . . .

. . . position and attach berries assembly

where edge shaping suggests.

30. Position and attach the "kringle" word cutout

as shown.

Here is the completed tag.

Attach tag in position desired on boot, as desired.

Here is a fun dimensional Christmas decor project

that celebrates the wonderful woman

"behind" that Great Ol' Elf himself!

Stylish boot measures approx.

8" tall x 7" front to back x 3" wide,

and can function as a container for candy, gift treats,

gift card holder, centerpiece, and more.

Embellished with ribbon laced front placket,

heel reinforcement accents,

chocolate ball with holly toe bell, swirls,

half-snowflakes on sides, back and under-toe

(sample uses double-sided adhesive sheets and glitter).

Here, you can see that it can also be embellished

at ankle with feather or fur trim.

Oh what fun you'll have tonight . . .!

(This tutorial is under construction.

Please return soon to view the completed project instructions.)

ASSEMBLY:

1. Identify and cut the shapes.

A left and right main shoe body with heel accent and double-stick embellishments

B shoe upper with placket and eyelets

C tongue (both sides will be seen)

D instep (sole)

E back

F heel

G toe tassel choc slice form and holly

2. Follow the construction steps for the witch's boot assembly, steps 2 through 28, substituting the slice-form chocolate ball with holly for the bat as the toe decoration.

3. Prepare the chocolate ball toe tassel before it is needed in the boot assembly. Fold the slices in half, face sides together (as "valley" folds). Glue halves of the first two circles together, as shown here.

4. Continue to add a third regular circle to the first pair, then add a circle with top tab to the unit for form one half. Repeat for second half.

5. Glue the two halves together. The top tabs will NOT glue together.

6. Fold the top tabs down, one to each side.

7. Add a little bit of downward curl to the center of the holly stem(s), and a little bit of upward curl to the center of each leaf.

Glue the center to the tabs area.

8. Add the three berry circles to the top. This is how the completed chocolate tassel (or Christmas pudding ball) will look.

9. Prepare the wire "spring" as described for the witch's boot project. Insert the top end (trimmed to approx. 1/2" to 3/4" long) at the center connections "tunnel" and glue in place.

10. Insert the bottom wire end through the tiny hole in the toe tip, then twist/corkscrew to move the bottom curl to the inside of the boot to hold the tassel in place.

On the inside of the boot, add a thick dab of hot glue to capture the wire and corkscrew and secure them in place once it cools.

11. Continue with the boot construction following the LINK.

12. Complete the final decor details as desired. For the sample project, double-stick adhesive shapes were layered on top of duplicate shapes cut from gray paper that simulates the silver glitter selected.

Here, the top protective layer is removed from the swirls so that the glitter can be applied.