1pair shoes(For the base- the type will depend on the type of boots wanted)
1pairsocksor tights
1piecepliable cardboard
Instructions
For the polar fleece boots
Place an athletic shoe (ideally the ones that will be work under the boots) on its side on the polar fleece, lining up the bottom of the shoe with the bottom edge of the fabric.
Wrap the fabric up around the bottom edge of the shoe, marking the midpoint both in front of the shoe and behind it.
Lay the cloth flat again and make a line from the point marked behind the shoe up to the height desired for the boots.
In front of the shoe, trace around the silhouette of the shoe, stopping before reaching the opening. You want to leave an allowance that is the same distance as the distance between the center point you marked and the front of the shoe. (Leave the same allowance all around the shape of the shoe.)Make a vertical line parallel to the line behind the shoe, making it the same height as the other line.
Cut out the boot shape you just made.
Use the boot shape you just cut out as a pattern to cut out 3 more pieces identical to that one.
Each boot will use 2 pieces of fabric. Sew the front and back edges together, leaving the top and bottom edges unsewn. (You can glue the edges instead, if you prefer.)
Turn the fabric right-side-out, and try the boot on over the shoes.
Make any adjustments as needed.
Repeat for the second shoe.
For the duct tape boots
Decide on the type of boots you'll be making. Thinner boots will need to be made as one-time use boots that you will later cut off your feet. (You'll be able to use the shoes as normal afterwards.) Thicker boots can be made to remove and reuse, but the shoes used will remain part of the boots. (I used Crocs-like shoes for my son's boots.)
For thin duct tape boots
Put on the shoes you'll be wearing.
Put on tights or long socks over the shoes.
Wrap duct tape over the socks/tights, covering them completely.
When finished with your boots, carefully cut down the back of them to remove them.
For wider, removable boots
Place a sock inside a wide, easy to remove shoe.
Make a tube out of cardboard, and place the tube of cardboard inside the sock to help hold it in place and open. It should form a boot-like structure.
Wrap duct tape over the shoe and the sock, completely covering it.
Repeat for the other boot.
For the cuff (optional)
Make a cone of fabric or paper with the top width the same as the circumference of the boot and the height you want the cuff to be.
Cover one side of the cone with duct tape.
Tape the cuff to the boot with the duct tape side outwards.
Notes
If using a polar fleece with a "right side," you'll want to make 2 identical pieces and 2 mirror image pieces instead of 4 identical pieces. When sewing them together, you need to sew them with right sides facing each other.
For the polar fleece boots, you may want to consider taping them in place with double sided tape. If not, they may rise up off the shoe.
You may be able to reuse thinner boots that have been cut off by taping them back up again for the next use.
When making removable duct tape boots, make the cardboard tube wide enough so that it's easy enough to remove the boots later on. Using wide shoes like Crocs also helps make removal easier.