I’VE MADE SOME REAL LEATHER BOOTIES!!! (screams hysterically and with a certain stunned disbelief)
And I’m sooooo happy with them, finally 🙂
Leather; I bought both the olive/tobacco brown leather and the coloured leather strips for laces from a leather shop in the Nippori district in Tokyo, pictured on the top, above with my other Nippori treasures. Do you like the variety of shoelaces? They’re pretty fun, yeah? I bought three different colours, hot pink, golden yellow and caramel/mustard. I’ve also got some store-bought, bog-standard black ones for them (below).
I like all of the colours, simply cannot decide on a favourite. Oh ok, of course I can! for now, I’m digging that bright pink, sorta unexpected, like lipstick on a pig 😉
oink oink!
Pattern; In shape and style they look just like my previous paprika suede desert boots, and so they should because I used the same pattern! The heels on these are lower than my paprika boots; that higher heel looks a little more refined whereas a lower heel is casual which I reckon is better for the slightly grittier tougher look of this leather.
they fit with socks too
Thoughts on construction: I did find the leather both easier and more difficult to work with… easier, because leather really is a far superior material to work with than synthetics; it does mould and form far far better to the shape you want it too, plus it “skives” beautifully, whereas plastic leathers and that paprika upholstery fabric does not. However, and paradoxically; I also found these shoes to be more difficult to make than my paprika ones, because my leather was actually quite thick and less pliable than ideal. It was harder to sew; my sewing machine coped fine with it, but it was so stiff as to be difficult for me to manouvere it around the sewing machine while sewing it. and stretching it over and around my lasts took more effort and grunt-power too. Being a leather shoe newb, I did not fully appreciate that it was not ideal until I was halfway through making the shoes, of course. Anyway, I think I managed to wrangle it into submission eventually.
The shoes are fully lined with chocolate synthetic suede, bought from the Fabric store in Melbourne during a past trip, and all topstitching was using chocolate brown Gutermann’s upholstery thread. I constructed the heel counter and toe puffs using stretch cotton denim and PVA glue, and the soles are black rubber sheeting from Bunnings, which I cut up to make stacked heels and the sole. Like all my other shoes, these are sanded down before glueing together with contact adhesive, and the heels are nailed to the soles inside, as pictured in a previous pair here. Also as usual, I made the liners using foam inner shoe soles from Coles, cut to size and covered with chocolate suedette using PVA glue, so they match the interior.
Excuse the picture overload. I’m just so happy and thrilled with them, I’ve been excitedly threading and re-threading with the different coloured laces and prancing about my house, taking pictures of them. I LOVE all the laces! In fact, I’m just in love, full stop!
The only laces I’m meh on at the moment are unsurprisingly the store-bought black ones… which, simply because they are boring, paradoxically will probably become the most useful and worn ones. Or not. I think maybe I should stop being boring, I need to break out and wear the fun stuff more often.
And that’s it! Ahhhhh, I feel like I can hang up my shoemaking hat, or should that be lasts? for the moment, since I think I’ve covered my basics and probably have enough essential shoes to last me for this winter now. Although, of course I am not. In fact I’m already started on my next pair of footwear…. mwahahahahaha. eeek! I’m addicted! SO much inspiration to be had, and so little time!
The dark navy blue, pleated skirt has an invisible zip closure and an interfaced facing. I suggested she make it a little longer, so she could at least wear it as a normal skirt too; but no; the costume had to be as faithfully executed as possible!
She used a blouse pattern for the vest, mainly because the collar was right for the costume; it had no collar stand and was the right shape and lay in the right spot. The front and back pieces were easily modified to be a vest shape, and she individually drew out the gold edging pieces to fit, and with self-fabric facing throughout.
This is a character driven pose; it means “I’m watching and I’ve got your back”… and that symbol on her hand is also a key component to her character too. I freehand drew it on for her this morning, because you know; right handed, and it had to be on her right hand! It’s in pink ballpoint pen. I can’t wait to hear how her day was…. I’m sure she will be one of the best dressed at the convention!! As we drove in to drop her off, we saw stormtroopers and a Joker strolling down the esplanade on their way to the convention, laugh! It’s fantastic how everyone who goes makes a real effort to dress up in amazing costumes and really look the part… oooo I so wish I could be there to see all the costumes!!
Materials; my friend 
Eyelets; rather than add metal eyelets, I left the holes raw. Most of the desert boots I’ve seen are like this and I prefer that look.
The height of the heel was determined by the fact that I will wish to wear them with 
So, black Oxford shoes, mark 2. This version was made with the help of my beautiful new lasts! Or I guess I should say, old lasts? ha.
Design, my own, based upon a classic Oxford shoe style. 
Detailing: I sewed the outer and lining layers right sides together, and turned them right sides out. Then, using black embroidery floss, I topstitched by hand around all edges in a long running stitch, in a way that a very narrow ridge of the faux suedette shows all the way around the edge, as a kind of faux piping. I absolutely love how this looks, peeping out 🙂
Some crazy yellow-tape shoes!
They’re a bit dorky and in retrospect could have used a toe puff, but you know what? they actually feel great on, and I think they could be perfectly fine for walking, even in the rain. They are waterproof, and feel very comfortable too!, the tape makes them firm bodied, yet they’re still soft, with that cotton jersey lining. I’m just a bit nervous of the bright colour… hmmm I think we might actually have a roll of black cloth tape in the shed somewhere, and maybe an old black Tshirt too… must go and rummage sometime. I fancy a black pair now!!
