I’ve been wearing Minnetonka moccasins for over a decade. They’re irresistibly comfortable and age so wonderfully over time, molding to my feet in a way that makes me never want to replace them – even though at times, I’ve worn my beloved mocs down to the sole. I should also mention that the simplicity in design makes them the perfect canvas for a DIY project! Inspired by Isabel Marant’s tassel moccasins, and of course, my love of tassels, I made these fun and colorful versions that are perfect for fall. They’re incredibly easy to make and if you’re able to track down enough leather remnants, you can change the tassels out depending on color and abundance!

Don’t be intimidated about picking out leather to make your tassels. Etsy is a great resource and there are lots of suppliers getting rid of assorted bags of leather scraps and remnants. The longest tassel will measure approximately 3 x 3 inches. Multiply that by 2 and the largest remnant you’ll need is a 6 x 3 inch piece. The smallest tassel will measure 2 x 3 inches. Multiply that by 2 and the smallest remnant you’ll need is a 4 x 3 inch piece. Most sellers will provide rough estimates of the sizes of leather remnants.

You’ll need:

• a pair of Minnetonka moccasins (I used this pair)
• assorted leather remnants (I used these remnants)
• tacky glue
• sharp scissors
• ruler

Start by trimming the remnants down to perfect squares. I just tried maximizing each remember by trimming the least amount possible to make it a rectangle that measured between 6 x 3 inches and 4 x 3 inches. Once you have an assortment of rectangular leather pieces, in a variety of colors, you can divide those in half lengthwise to create strips that measure between 3 x 3 inches and 2 x 3 inches. Remember, you’ll need one of each to make 2 tassels of each color.

Turn the leather over and draw a half 1/4 inch line across the top, lengthwise. Cut a fringe without going past that line. A sharp pair of fabric shears will give you a clean cut.

Your fringed pieces should look like this!

Cut off the end piece off of each fringed piece and set aside. Place a small dollop of tacky glue on the top corner at one end of the fringed piece.

Place the thin piece of leather you cut off earlier on top of the glue. Fold in half and seal it with another small dollop of glue. Then, draw a very thin line of glue across the top and roll the leather tightly.

Hold the tassel closed for a couple of minutes before setting it aside to dry completely. Make the rest of the tassels.

To assemble the shoe, simply untie the laces on the moccasins. Thread the tassels onto each each lace – alternating them from longest to shortest.

Push the tassels as close together as possible and tie into a tight knot.

And that’s it – tassel moccasins done! You can even trim them if you feel like the tassels are too long. And remember, these are non-permanent so feel free to change out the colors whenever you see fit. Enjoy!

(From now until November 29th, Minnetonka is offering HonestlyWTF readers free shipping on all ground orders. Use promo code: HonestlyWTF at checkout!)