Half & Half Lacing

Shoelaces with half one color and half another color, either pre-made or by cutting and joining two laces, create an interesting bi-color effect.
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Lacing Technique – Variation 1 – Bi-color shoelace
• Start with a bi-color shoelace, where half the length is one color and the other half is a different color.
• Begin straight across on the inside (straight section) and out through the bottom eyelets.
• At each eyelet pair, cross the ends, feeding under the sides and out through the next higher set of eyelets. Repeat until lacing is completed.
Variations
• Variation 1 uses a bi-color shoelace, with half the length colored differently.
• Variation 2 uses two half-length shoelaces of different colors knotted together.
• Variation 3 uses two half-length shoelaces of different colors secured separately.
Features
Decorative look
Regular tightening
Regular tying
Hard to get bi-color laces
Notes
• Where bi-color shoelaces are not available, an alternative is to use two half-shoelaces of different colors, either knotted together to form a full-length bi-color shoelace (as per variation 2), or each half tied off with a stopper-knot and fed separately through the bottom eyelets (as per variation 3).
• The technique detailed above is effectively a half & half variation of basic Criss Cross Lacing. However, the concept of using two half-shoelaces of different colors can be similarly applied to many other Lacing Methods, as seen in the following gallery.
Half & Half Lacing Gallery
Basic technique using “Criss Cross Lacing” as the underlying lacing method:




Variations using other lacing methods similarly laced with two different colored half-shoelaces:





















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More photos of Half & Half Lacing
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Shoelace Lengths for Half & Half Lacing
Pairs of eyelets: | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
Length needed for bi-color shoelace: | 70 cm 28 inch |
81 cm 32 inch |
91 cm 36 inch |
102 cm 40 inch |
112 cm 44 inch |
123 cm 48 inch |
134 cm 53 inch |
Lengths available: | 27" | 36" | 36" | 40" | 45" | 45" | 54" |
Length needed for knotted halves (each half): | 40 cm 16 inch |
45 cm 18 inch |
51 cm 20 inch |
56 cm 22 inch |
61 cm 24 inch |
66 cm 26 inch |
72 cm 28 inch |
Lengths available: | 27" | 27" | 27" | 27" | 27" | 27" | 27" |
Length needed for separate halves (each half): | 40 cm 16 inch |
45 cm 18 inch |
51 cm 20 inch |
56 cm 22 inch |
61 cm 24 inch |
66 cm 26 inch |
72 cm 28 inch |
Lengths available: | 27" | 27" | 27" | 27" | 27" | 27" | 27" |
NOTE: These are approximate shoelace lengths for using this lacing on an average sized sneaker. For more accurate lengths, use the Shoelace Length Calculator.
Available Half & Half Shoelaces
Shoe Tying Made Simple

These shoelaces from JunctionOfFunction.com are part of their “Shoe Tying Made Simple” kit for teaching children.
Available in a limited range of colors and lengths: 42-inch for kid-sized shoes or 50-inch for adolescent-sized shoes.
Joy!

These shoelaces from Ringelspitz are available on the German website Amazon.de.
The laces are available in three color combinations (black/white, blue/green, orange/purple) and in one length (120 cm).
Buy from Amazon.de (Germany) (paid link)
NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Visitor Feedback
with this method [Variation 3: Separate Halves], I get the benefits of lacing techniques that anchor the shoelace to the bottom eyelets [preventing shoelace shift, which causes uneven end lengths] AND the benefits of having options for whichever knot I prefer [eg. Ian's Secure Knot]
– Adrian D., Apr-2022
If you'd also like to send feedback, please Contact Ian.
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