2. French Vintage Mary Jane Slippers with Mother-of-Pearl Buttons
What This Idea Means
An homage to mid-century European nursery footwear, this design features a delicate low-cut silhouette, a structured rounded toe box, and an arch-crossing strap fastened with an iridescent mother-of-pearl shell button.
Materials Needed
- 40 g DK-weight 100% Egyptian Giza Cotton in Antique Alabaster
- 3.00 mm (US C/2) crochet hook
- 2 genuine freshwater flat mother-of-pearl buttons (10 mm)
- Sewing needle and matching cotton sewing thread
How to Make It
- Oval Footbed: Crochet a double-layered solid single-crochet sole for structure and comfort.
- Side Walls: Work two low rounds of waistcoat knit-look stitches around the outer sole perimeter.
- Toe Vamp Contouring: Create a separate curved toe cap using cluster decreases, then join it seamlessly to the side walls with flat slip stitches.
- Heel Cup: Build up the rear heel cup with short-row single crochet turns to prevent slippage.
- Instep Strap: Pick up stitches on the medial heel edge, crochet a 14-chain strap with a reinforced buttonhole eyelet at the tip, and fasten it across the instep.
- Button Attachment: Secure the shell button on the lateral side using reinforced cross-stitches.
Tips and Variations
- Picot Trim: Add a micro-picot lace border around the low-cut foot opening for antique flair.
- Strap Customization: Replace the single transverse strap with dual crossing X-straps for added stability.
- Velvet Accents: Use micro-velvet ribbon as the cross-strap instead of crocheted yarn.