Missing the World Cup? A Breakdown of My DIYs Might Be the Cure.
The World Cup is over, but my obsession with how my DIYs came out is not.
Hello, reader! It’s been a while.
During June and July, I traveled for the World Cup and soaked up every minute of the tournament. With 104 matches played, traveling from city to city, and work, that didn’t leave a lot of time for writing. So now it’s time to start recapping.
There’s no better place to start than with my DIYs. I spent months — that’s not an exaggeration — conceptualizing and then realizing the projects. It included thrift hunts, endless returns to find the perfect items, and tedious hours with a needle and thread.
But I couldn’t be happier with how everything came out. (It was definitely worth the lack of sleep and sewing blisters.)
Now …
Drumroll please 🥁
It’s time to break down my six DIY masterpieces and the story behind each.
1. Cowgirl Hat With Country Flag Pins
The Netherlands group stage games brought us to Dallas, Houston, and Kansas City. I already wear a straw cowgirl hat on the beach, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to rock one in the south.
My goal was to seamlessly incorporate the World Cup into the hat without making it feel too costume-y. I found this Haute Hippie Style black hat at T.J. Maxx, and when I saw the holes in the disc belt, my brain immediately jumped to the round country flag pins I had seen on Amazon.
Spain, my main team, took the center spot with the host countries on one side and the Netherlands and their group-stage opponents on the other. Then, I filled in the rest of the holes with various countries I was rooting for.
While I was going for subtle, the flags were admittedly small. To solve this, I added the large FIFA 26 pin, which was bold enough to get people to notice the detailing on the hat while also balancing the look.
Of course, this seemingly simple addition came with its own crafting complications. Since the pin only had a backing at the top, it swayed. I grabbed an extra earring post and used B7000 glue to secure it. And to avoid sticking my head, I also glued on a butterfly backing.
In the end, this was one of my two most complimented DIYs.
2. Cowgirl Boots With Country Patches
The boots, in fact, took the cake as my most-complimented DIY. They were also the most complicated and time consuming.
The saga started with finding the right pair that didn’t break the bank. Black boots made the most sense for a neutral base. It took returning numerous pointed-toe options before I stumbled upon the perfect square-toe pair with plenty of toe room, a mid-calf shaft to avoid sweltering in the heat, and a cushiony sole.
But seriously, we need to talk about the sole of these boots. I wore them in five cities for 20k+ steps a day and never had a blister or discomfort.
My plan was to put one patch on the front of each boot. But my DIY dreams almost came crashing down a week out from travel when the Etsy patches I ordered got lost in the mail. Instead, I frantically ordered six soccer country patches off Amazon (three host countries and three teams I was rooting for) to place on the outside of each shaft.
With only a few nights after work to complete this daunting task, I set to work. I used a specialty leather sewing kit that included a solid wood awl to poke holes through the thick material, a sturdy needle, and waxed thread.
When I completed one side, I proudly jumped up to try on the boot — only to find I had accidentally sewn the patches on the inside shaft …
An inch away from a second DIY breakdown, I FaceTimed my boyfriend to share the moment of disbelief before making a new game plan. Since removing the patches would leave large holes from the awl, my only option was to order duplicate patches and commit to sewing them on the inside and outside of each boot.
After more hours than I can count, a myriad of needle pricks, and sewing blisters on my hands, the boots were done. And boy, were they beautiful.
These boots didn’t just take the cake as my most complimented project — but as my all-time favorite DIY.
3. Customized Clear Purse
Back in March, I completed a trial run for my World Cup clear stadium bag for the Boston Legacy’s inaugural NWSL game. A few detail swaps later, the same purse was ready for the Netherlands group-stage games.
The foundation of the purse’s brilliance was the turf base. As expected, not everyone noticed that level of detail, but those who did were just as excited as I was. The soccer ball stress ball completed the field aesthetic. I used clear adhesive dots to keep it from rolling around the bag.
To avoid too much chaos on display, I used a free Clinique mini makeup bag to reign in some of the smaller items I was carrying.
As for the exterior, I slid a Netherlands patch into a magnetic badge holder that previously held my Sky Blue FC ticket for the Legacy game. A soccer ball strap provided functionality while honing in the theme, and the mini jersey and Trionda keychains connected the design specifically to the 2026 tournament.
I fastened these with a brass keychain, while a Netherlands ribbon kept everything from dangling too much.
4. Denim Shorts with Patches
If you have muscular soccer thighs, then you know how hard it is to find jeans and jean shorts that are breathable, cover your backside, and prevent chub rub. (And if you don’t know what chub rub is, then you are one lucky soul.) So committing to finding a pair of jean shorts for the World Cup was rather bold of me.
After many returns, I found a pair of Levi’s that satisfied my checklist. So, inevitably, I did exactly what my mom cautioned me against and ironed patches onto them.
I started with one leg representing the host countries and the other representing my main teams, Spain and the Netherlands, before dispersing soccer-themed patches throughout.
Most notably, I had soccer ball patches poking out of the front penny and back pocket. The key to the ironing was using wax paper as a barrier since a towel was too thick to melt the glue fully.
5. Vintage Sweatshirt with Patches
A few months ago, I thrifted this retro Adidas red sweatshirt that was perfectly worn in. While I was just about over projects with patches, I knew they were my best bet for quick, quality customization. And thank goodness I didn’t give up on the vision because the FIFA merch, especially the sweatshirts, was severely lacking.
In addition to the country patches, I threw in one from each host city we visited: Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, and Boston. I also placed a ball-in-net patch on the edge of the center pocket for a playful touch.
For the finishing detail, I wore my heart on my sleeve with a soccer ball heart patch to represent how my boyfriend and I met through soccer and were on this World Cup journey together. I ironed it on the left sleeve to be closest to my heart and had the point facing in to show love pouring into my heart in true Claddagh fashion.
6. Soccer Ball Jewelry Set
At the March Legacy game, as well as the team’s kit launch party, I received an abundance of compliments on my soccer ball beaded bracelet, followed by inquiries of where to buy it. My answer always left them more shocked than disappointed: It was my childhood bracelet from elementary school.
Naturally, it was losing its elasticity, so I took the risk of cutting it and restringing the beads with clear string.
My next idea was born from the bracelet: a scaled-up version to rest on the neckline of a jersey. Amazon supplied the silicone soccer ball beads, but I was worried about the necklace breaking from the weight if I used the same elastic string as the bracelet. Instead, I opted for an old necklace chain.
The design needed to be a choker for it to rest perfectly on the kit’s neckline. But as is always the case with chokers, if it’s too tight, you can never ignore it’s presence. When I added the beads to the chain, that was exactly the case. To add a little more neck room, I ordered a necklace extender.
The look simply wouldn’t have been complete without a matching pair of earrings, so back to Amazon I went. This created the perfect jewelry trifecta that served as a cohesive element in every game look.
In memoriam:
The necklace broke as I exited the train after the quarterfinals in Boston — an ironic symbol of the last World Cup game I attended. But do not fret, a new one will be born in memory once club season starts again.
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