Tali T Strap Mary Jane Flats

Tali T-Strap Mary Jane Flats by Two Girls Patterns

What Is Being Made

The Tali T-Strap Mary Jane Flats are a pair of crocheted footwear designed as comfortable, wearable slippers or casual booties. These flat shoes feature a distinctive T-strap design across the top of the foot, secured with small buttons for a charming, vintage-inspired aesthetic. The pattern includes instructions for creating both the sole and upper portions of the shoe as separate components that work together to form a finished garment.

Crochet Techniques Used

This intermediate-level crochet project employs several fundamental techniques to construct a structured, three-dimensional shoe. The pattern uses single crochet and half double crochet stitches as the primary building blocks, with increases worked throughout to shape the shoe properly. A specialized technique called spike stitch is featured in this pattern, which adds textural interest and structural support to the shoe design.

The spike stitch technique is a variation of single crochet that creates depth by working into stitches from the previous row rather than the current row. To execute a spike stitch, the crocheter inserts the hook into the designated stitch one row below, yarns over, pulls the loop through, then completes the stitch by yarning over and pulling through both loops on the hook. This creates a distinctive visual effect while maintaining the shoe's integrity.

The pattern uses stitch markers to help track progress and maintain consistency throughout the project. Bracketed instructions indicate sections that should be worked together as a set, streamlining pattern reading and reducing errors.

Stitches Used

• Single Crochet (sc) – the foundation stitch used throughout the sole and upper portions
• Half Double Crochet (hdc) – used in combination with single crochet to create varied texture and structure
• Spike Stitch – a specialty stitch that drops down to the previous row for dimensional effect and added stability
• Chain (ch) – used to begin rounds and create foundation chains
• Increases – worked by placing multiple stitches into single stitches to shape the shoe's curves

Materials and Yarn

The Tali T-Strap Mary Jane Flats are designed to be worked in worsted weight yarn, a medium-weight yarn that provides excellent stitch definition and durability for footwear. The pattern calls for two yarn colors: Color A for the sole (requiring 30 yards) and Color B for the upper (requiring 42 yards for the largest size shoe). The featured yarn in the pattern is I Love This Cotton from Hobby Lobby, suggesting that cotton yarn works beautifully for this project, though any worsted weight yarn of similar fiber content and yardage will produce comparable results.

Additional materials include a size F (3.75mm) crochet hook, which is the standard hook size for worsted weight yarn and provides appropriate tension for a structured shoe. The pattern also requires two small buttons measuring 1/2 inch or smaller to secure the T-strap closure, along with an embroidery needle for attaching these buttons and finishing details.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate, making it suitable for crocheters who have mastered basic stitches and are ready to tackle shaping techniques and specialty stitches. The spike stitch may be new to some crafters, but the pattern provides clear instructions for executing this technique. The primary challenge involves understanding how to read the pattern notation, particularly the bracketed sections and the numbered stitch counts, as well as maintaining consistent tension to ensure the shoe fits properly.