Woo-eee! I really really wanted to add another pair of handmade shoes to my collection this year and after a whole bunch of postponing and procrastinating and a little bit of prevaricating too… ta da! I basically had to force myself to get started – I hadn’t made a pair of shoes in over a year and it suddenly seemed quite daunting, and hard! but of course in the end I really enjoyed myself making these. And I LOVE them!
I bought this quite thick blue suede from The Fabric Store in Auckland, during one of the massive stopovers that Air New Zealand gives you when you’re flying onto North America. Which I have done twice over the last three years. I think this might have been the Alaska trip. I’d originally thought I’d try to make closed toe, oxford style shoes or derbys but realised the suede was really too thick for that. You need for the leather/suede or whatever to be quite flexible and easily mouldable around your lasts without wrinkles or puckers, which is pretty much impossible in a thickish material. So I eventually went with this, quite simple style instead.
Cute, huh?! I’m pretty thrilled with them! Most of the other components are from one of the kits I bought from Lisa of the Shoe Camaraderie, and I followed all her instructions too. Although like I mentioned, I used my own leather and the design of the uppers is my own too.
I really wanted a matching blue thread for those visible stitches on my shoes, but didn’t have any, not even embroidery thread in the right colour! which is why I settled upon the beige waxed thread that Lisa supplied with my kit. Obviously this is the perfect stuff to use for the job anyway, and I think I’m fine with it being a contrasting colour, since it is the same colour as the bottom part of the sandal too.
Having a kit makes it all so much easier, plus I’ve done two workshops with Lisa now… so you’d think I would just barrel through, no problem; whip up a pair of sandals in no time.
Nope! I stuffed up on multiple occasions!
Firstly, I went to the effort of masking up my lasts and drawing out a fabulous and as it turned out, ridiculously complicated style for my sandals. And made a pattern and all. Let’s just say, it did NOT WORK. I did try pretty hard to make it work and then moved on to trying to force the pieces into a different design, which obviously was not going to work either.
Settled upon this, much simplified design, cut out a whole new set of pieces. Confidently whipped up a coupla buckle and strap sets and practically finished the sandals. Smooth sailing!
Noticed the buckle and strap were going the wrong way, ie buckling forwards rather than backwards. *cue silent scream*
I almost just let it go, but then realised I had plenty of leather actually, enough for new straps, and if I was going to do this thing, may as well do it properly. Cut new strips, made new buckle and straps sets. Completed the rigmarole a second time. Obviously not quite so smooth sailing this time. It never is.
Next, I’d applied glue to the soles with great thoroughness and excellent coverage… or so I thought. After leaving them overnight, I noticed in the morning a few millimetres of lifting on the side of one of the sandals. This is very very bad. You do NOT want gaps. I managed to pry open a slightly bigger gap, enough to dribble more glue down, spread it around with an opened-out paper clip, and propped it open with another paper clip to go tacky. I gave it masses of time, and fortunately this very very NOT-recommended trick seemed to work. A miracle!!!
On to the finishing touches… went around to Tim’s place to retrieve the sander, which he has for some time, I might add. Plugged the sander in, very happy I was basically on the home stretch now, and turned it on. Nothing. Dead as a doornail. Hunted out a different extension cord, tried different sockets. Brushed sawdust and cobwebs from out of likely looking spots. Nope. Finally rigged up the the orbital sander instead and got the job done, which did take longer but of course not nearly so long as if I had to sand by hand, so all’s good. Apart from the fact that maybe we now need a new belt sander, of course!
So, this is the tenth thing in my make twelve, the “making plan” I set up for myself at the beginning of the year. This particular project was arguably the most intimidating out of the entire twelve, maybe the most challenging too. I do love making shoes but it’s definitely next level stuff, catapulting me right out of my comfort zone … so I feel like the final two are going to be easy peasy, lemon squeezy! We shall see!
I’ve made up the first of my indigenous fabrics that I bought back in … June? I think, and 
I bought the chocolate brown grosgrain ribbon from Spotlight. You can see here a patched bit in the brim lining… I didn’t do this because I didn’t have enough fabric, I have plenty! I actually have enough leftover for a little skirt sometime down the track too, but only if I was a bit devious with my cutting out here. I decided a small patch in the brim lining was a small sacrifice to pay to leave myself enough fabric for that future skirt!
I really loved the industrial-chic vibe of the Closet Core patterns Blanca flight suit pattern as soon as it came out… loved the zippered breast pockets, the front opening zip, the front hip pockets, the er.. bottom? pockets; sorry have momentarily forgotten the technical term for those things. Anyway… such a plethora of fabulous topstitching possibilities! I actually love top-stitching, it’s one of those calming zen activities that pleases my inner love for well-ordered neatness… and just the pure and simple visual joy of looking at that evenly dotty line marching its way across cloth. *happy sigh*
Note to self though; if you’re putting in a walking vent ad hoc, cut it way way too long to start with. You can always cut the top down if it’s too long, and if it’s not? This simple precaution will save you a heck of a struggle later on.
No, I’m not pregnant, obviously, but I do currently have a pregnant daughter … She is wearing the things I’ve already made for her constantly, AND I’ve also lent to her 
I made this new coat-ish/dress-ish/shirt-ish sort of a thing for myself!
