Community post
Make your own boots! with a few basic tools and some leather .......
Ok so its not soooo simple! but it is totally possible... above is a photo from an 8 day workshop I did in Uruguay (3 hours a day) and the students did great, showing only one finished boot as some had not finished the other side yet!
In college I luckily won employment offers through design competition for Emap, Clarkes and for Sergio Rossi (Gucci group) in Italy, And I ran away! .... to travel the world and do many un-shoe related things! But shoes stayed in my mind, and the enjoyment I'd got from creating them. So ten years later in Spain I decide to start again making boots, It was a struggle at first as I needed to remember all the pattern making details and also find ways around the missing machines that sew, press cut and squish the shoe together :-), So I learned how with a few basic tools I could create Boots that I could then Sell on Etsy and support me and my baby boy. I'm very keen to share the skills I now have, for free! just waiting until my baby girl is a bit older ;-)
I think its really a great way for people to make money from crafting/creating as there is less competition then with clothing or bags. Its a bit more complicated in the beginning, but if enough people here show interest I can do an online steemit workshop on producing a pair of your own moccasins.
As far as sustainability goes, I recycle my clothes here, we swap and create what we wear, mostly just buying socks or underwear! sometimes buying used clothes in the local Rastro (car boot sale), And yes boots and shoes can be recycled/bought second hand here too, but! its really really satisfying to make your own boots and wear them.
I discovered that the old hand turned singer sewing machines are strong enough to go through two layers of leather, although mostly I join together with leather cord or macrame thread, then with a good hole punch, awls, leather scissors, and spiral lace cutter your ready to go!
https://steemitimages.com/DQmPyghNmn8ED9GLurXc4g8E9y3V1ZN3xzwtMRPEUHX49rs/wraap.png
All boots in photos designed and hand made by me, knitted part by Sonia, photos my own, please comment if your interested in more :-) and!...
Click this link to see our 2 month horse trek with kids in the mountains...link-horse trek
Replies (35)
Good work. How long does it take you to make a pair?
those are Gorgeous!! Love the design and style. I've made my own moccasins before and I really dig this style you're using that goes up the ankle more. Cooool!
Wonderful! I have made a pair of leather boots at the John C. Campbell Folk School a few years back, and it isn't an easy process. I have collected various books and tools and am planning my next pair of shoes to make this year.
Thanks for the inspiration @steemama!! Gorgeous shoes!
Beautiful boots! Thank you for sharing this, @steemama.
Thank you, takes between 12 and 16 hours per pair depending on the style
Thank you! Please Send photo of the ones you made!
Thank you so much for your comment :-), please send photo of the pair you made, wishing you the best with your next pair!
Thank you! :-)
Better yet, I am going to make a post on it. They were made completely by hand and the person teaching had never made boot moccasins before, so there was a steep learning curve for us both. Your shoes are gorgeous, mine are functional. :-)
So cute those boots at the top. You could teach bootmaking on dtube! Have a weekly slot...
beautiful work @steemama !!!! You seem such an inspiration! Such an amazing women you are! Teach me how to make shoes!
xx
Resteemed!
Wow, that's really cool!
hmmm thats an idea! maybe when my sweet little clinger is less clingy! x
thank u purple! xx
thank you :-)
great idea, please send me a link on steemitchat :-)
nice looking boots you made there @steemama, lovely to see all your photos on here. great job x
nice and that shoes are looking so good. i will try.
Thanks for a fascinating article. I attend a Medieval Faire every year and the one thing that everyone bemoans is the difficulty in getting realistic footwear which, by its nature has to be hand made.
thank you vesino xx
thank u! later i will do tutorial if people ask :-)
How very fascinating. The boots look wonderful. I have always wanted to know how to make them as the native Americans did so I am very interested in learning if you go ahead with this. Also I'm going to go straight to your post on the 2 month horse track you did... I have always wanted to do that in Egypt an my own Arabians. Defiantly invite and following you. Thank you @steemama
Wow! These are lovely boots! Very impressed with your skills and the patience and care that goes into making your creations.
@steemama Here's the link: https://steemit.com/homemaking/@yoginiofoz/shoe-making-adventure-at-the-john-c-campbell-folk-school
It's my first pair. I will be making more, I am just trying to find some flexible soles.
(They aren't as gorgeous as yours.....but I had to start somewhere.)
I love leather moccassins but have never made them (or any other footwear before). I have a pair that is so stretched I can't wear them anymore without them falling off my feet. They have a leather cord to tighten them but even so they are still too stretched. Perhaps, I could learn some skills from you to make them wearable again. I really enjoyed their soft durability. I refuse to part with them just yet. >D
-Aimee
Hmmmm possibly the only option is to copy the pattern and make a new tighter pair, the way I learned to make patterns is to cover your sock covered foot with overlapping layers of masking tape (the paper like one for painting edges) both directions, then draw on where the seams and the back line and front line are (so you get both sides) then cut off with scissors along the seam lines, then ypy have your pattern. I will do a workshop later on for sure, :-) itd sad when your fav shoes die....nice to remake :-)
Awww! Your horses are beautiful :-) I love Arabians so much. I lived in Egypt for 4 years and had a half Arab at stables in Giza, so many beautiful Arabians (and sadly lots of skinny unfortunate horses too). Such special temperment and character they have. Yes I will do a boot workshop! I really love to share the skills, it may be in a few months though as my little baby still needs a lot of me right now :-) great to meet you
Thank you Denise, took some months to figure out how to make decent ones!
Thank u!. I will do a work shop soon enough. Either on here of on d tube :-)
That is a veru clever way of making a pattern. I look forward to your workshop! Yes, it is sad when your favoirite shoe dies. Ha ha! -Aimee
Thank you, yes they have great characters when treated right. How amazing, I visited Egypt for a few days. But as it was a tour so didn't get to see things I wanted that aren't the "normal" tour stuff.
Awesome II'll keep a look out for the workshop. Nice to meet you too
Cool! I follow you.
But beware of making own boots
https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/boot-head-1161271.jpg
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