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http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-stitch-up-simples-diy-shoe-222856/

This is a very simple moccasin style shoe.

I have done some searches in the past, as I am a feltmaker and have a lot of leftover fabric, some of it tough enough for body armor. There is a segment of the felt crafters world doing this and some of the boots are awesome.

This woman has a business teaching shoemaking, supplying patterns and elements and she will even attach strong outdoor soles for other people’s uppers.
http://www.simpleshoemaking.com/solesforfelt.htm

Not cheap, but you can get an idea of how it can be done. For the hand sewing on the sturdier boots, I think using a “sailor’s palm” would be a big help.
http://www.knotandrope.com/Store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=148&idcategory=40

I have thought about simply stashing our worn-out shoes and boots to cut apart and re-purpose, if necessary. I had a pair of winter boots that were perfectly fine except that the rubber portion over the toe had cracked. I patched the crack with a piece of bike inner tube patch material. It lasted two full Wisconsin winters, was quick and easy.

I have had two pairs of handmade shoes in the past. One pair of sturdy oxfords lasted 10 years and I still have the leather boots I bought at a Renaissance Faire, many years ago. They have outdoor soles and will outlast me.

Last winter, I played around with a knitting loom for sock making. I have a terrible tension problem with knitting needles. There are fine looms for finer socks, but I had the best results with a Fisherman’s yarn and the cheap plastic looms from Walmart. The knitting loom community is big on socks and the heel portion took a few tries to learn. There are several series of DIY videos on YouTube that helped me a lot. It is very time-consuming, of course. It takes a week to make a pair. The acrylic yarn ones were easiest, but the sturdiest were wool, which I made larger than needed and felted. If I added a glue on sole, available at various craft stores/sites, they would make great house shoes. There are also stitch-on soles available at the sewing shops.

At one point I recall finding a pattern for sewn tube socks, using elastic thread in the top to keep them up, but I can’t find that right now. It can be done. Knitting tube socks is an option, too and it bypasses the heel portion. IIRC, you knit in a spiral pattern to get the stretch.

There are even instructional videos on the internet for making your own shoe lasts sized for your foot.

I don’t think I will be making shoes or even socks unless it is absolutely essential, but having at least a glancing knowledge of how it is done would inspire someone and I would be willing to trade my skills and my felt fabric, were things to get to that point.

I think stashing heavy duty wool and acrylic yarn, leather pieces, glues (these can be toxic and need to be used with ventilation) and some tools (looms and needles; a shoe sewing machine is expensive and a bit scary)and a store of worn out shoes to recycle, or at least use for patterns, would at least give someone a chance to experiment on long winter nights or during bad weather when we can’t go outside, anyway. Even right now, I know people who will knit to order if you supply the yarn and for me, it is worth it.

Stashing shoes and boots, of course, is possible. My husband can wear out a pair of shoes in a few months. He buys these great-looking ones made for cops and they have lasted a couple of years, already, which is a miracle. I keep an eye out at Bargain Outfitters and Sportsman’s Outlet and when I see a good price, I buy them there ($60+/- on sale).