Inspiration: Abaete for Payless

What you’ll need:
Victim Shoes (Preferably with thin high heels)
Chain-heavy Jewellery pieces to take apart (fringed necklace if possible)
8 Studs with prongs (any size)
Scalpel or hobby knife
Jewellery Pliers
8 Jumprings (~1/32inch diameter)

Mark the width of the stud onto the shoes and make small slits with a sharp scalpel (or hobby knife) for the prongs to go through.

Hang 2 jumprings on each of the prongs of the stud, insert stud into the slits. Bend the prongs inward to close using a butter knife or a metal ruler.

Add another stud, but this time hanging only one jumpring on the right arm, towards the back of the shoes. Position the stud at the top of the heel arch. Repeat for other side.

Take apart the piece of jewellery with the most chains available – best if the necklace is a chain fringe. If not, pick out a thicker chain for a main hanger, and hang thinner chains so it looks like a fringe. Measure onto shoes, cut and hang onto the jumprings.

Using your jewellery prongs, (usually equipped with cutter) cut the fringes just short of the ground

Optional: Add extra details with leftover chain; Add heavier weight chains on every other slot if wanted.

Those Abaete for Payless pics have been sitting in my DIY inspiration folder for almost a year now, I just never had the guts to risk a lab rat pair of heels for the potential disaster of an operation. Well, in truth I had no clue how to attach the chain onto heels, and the gluegun option only made me think of scenarios like backtracking the streets for that few lost strands of chain… Then Forever21 contacted me requesting a Prom themed DIY, and let me choose a pair of heels to be sent over with some old collection jewellery. Maybe it was the faux-suede heels I found in their store, or the fact that they were free (HOOT), but I went straight to the stab & hang option.

For those wondering what would happen if the chain would drag – would you step on it, fall over and die a slow death…? That won’t happen unless you somehow miss the instruction on cutting the chain just short of the ground. Just please don’t go rock-climbing in them and then sue me for slipping on a chain or two.

It’s slightly too bling for me personally, so I’m thinking of tuning down the chains and getting rid of the additional details, but there’s so many styles you can try. Instead of conical studs, try flat round studs – spray painted with black might make things less hardcore. It’s really up to you.

Thank you F21 for the shoes & jewellery. You can see the DIY in their blog, The Skinny.

Posted: April 27, 2010
Category: Do It Yasself