I Made Hand Crafted Oxford Shoes. Was it Worth It?
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- Опубліковано 11 лип 2024
- This was a crazy idea. I made my husband a pair of hand crafted oxford shoes, using traditional materials and techniques, including hand-welting! Keep watching to the end to hear my take on why someone would even want to make hand crafted shoes, as well as to see the pitfalls I experienced along the way.
In this video, we will see:
*How I adjusted a pair of shoe lasts to fit my husband's feet
*How I crafted the pattern for these shoes and stitched together the shoes' uppers.
*How I lasted the shoes and crafted a hand-carved leather insole for the welting process.
*How I stitched together the shoes, crafted leather soles, and stacked leather heels.
Keep watching till the end to get a peek of my husband possibly wearing the finished hand crafted oxford shoes!
Enjoy!
✍ Blog post for this video: bit.ly/3XuA9BC
Check out my brother Robert's new channel and video on leather boot maintenance:
bit.ly/3HeV8D7
⏰ Time Stamps ⏰
0:00 - Intro
0:45 - Traditions of Shoe-Making
1:07 - What is Hand-Welting?
1:44 - What This Video Covers
2:33 - Shoe Lasts and Pattern-Making
4:06 - Making the Shoe Uppers
6:22 - Carving the Insole Welt
8:15 - "Lasting" the Shoes
9:11 - Hand-Stitching the Shoe Inseam
12:11 - Outsoles and Stacked Leather Heels
12:21 - Heel Rand
13:33 - Cork Inner Layer
14:09 - Adding the Outsole
14:59 - Stitching on the Outsole
17:22 - Sanding the Sole
17:50 - Building Stacked Leather Heels
20:56 - Prepping Heels and Sole for Dye
21:43 - Dyeing and Polishing Soles and Heels
23:12 - Final Touches
24:54 - The Try-On
26:35 - The Magic of Shoe-Making
29:21 - How Does my Husband Like the Shoes?
30:21 - What Would I Change Next Time?
33:10 - Conclusion
I am an entirely "self-taught" shoemaker, with most of what I currently know coming from great shoe-making and shoe history books. Here are several that I have found very helpful, with Amazon links to purchase:
"Handmade Shoes for Men" by László Vass and Magda Mólnar
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"The Art of Boot and Shoemaking" - reprint of 1865 edition, by John Bedford Leno
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"Bespoke Shoemaking" textbook by Tim Skyrme
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"Women's Shoes in America, 1795-1930" by Nancy E. Rexford
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#leathershoes #shoemaking #shoes #shoeslover #fashionshoes #customshoes #mensshoes #menshoes #vintageshoes #classicshoes #historicalshoes #shoemaking #sewing #vintagesewing #historicalsewing #bootmaking #historicalboots #vintageboots #handmadeboots #handmadeshoes
👑 Join my Channel Membership to Access Bonus Perks:
bit.ly/joinkatherine
🌐 My website: katherinesewing.com
🛍 Sewing supplies I recommend: bit.ly/sewsupplies
💇 Hair care products I recommend: bit.ly/hairsupplies
📖 "Victorian Custom Corset-Making" Course: bit.ly/corsetcourse
☕ Buy me a coffee: bit.ly/katherinecoffee
✉ Contact me: katherine@katherinesewing.com
Wow! I so admire you! BEAUTIFUL!!
WOW!! They are absolutely beautiful! 😍You must be so proud to have accomplished this seemingly crazy task, but what a terrific outcome. Your husband will treasure them forever, I'm sure. My grandfather was a shoemaker, and I would spend endless hours by his side, watching every single move.
Thank you so much! What an amazing experience for you to have a grandfather who was a shoemaker! ❤
My grandfather was a shoe maker... waxing the string was a skill he taught me and i use to mend my shoes. Thank you.
Wow! What beautiful shoes! You could make a pair of shoes for me any day! But I don't think I could afford to pay you what they are worth. This shows why a pair of high quality hand made shoes cost so much, but are worth the price. Thank you for sharing this adventure!
Thank you so much! ❤
Real craftmanship. All that is gone. Amazing video! I would love to see you make a pair of female boots (19th century style) or silk shoes (Rokkoko style) 🥰
Thanks so much! I have both of those kinds of shoes/boots on my making wish-list ☺️💕
@@KatherineSewing Yes, not all women like stilettos and I think those boots were really sexy AND practical. Blessings!
You did a GREAT job That was a sure jester of Love again “GREAT JOB”. 👍🏻👍🏻
Wow and wow! I would love to make wool slippers by hand with raw sheep wool I bought. Perhaps another video if you know how. Thank you for your awesome channel!
I am in awe.
Absolutely gorgeous ✨❤️
wow! youre such a diligent artisan! the result was so beautiful!
That's a really good job for a beginner.
Doing a full Welt construction like that is very impressive. It's a little sloppy but if you're trying to do a traditional shoe that's the way to go. Your husband must love you very much :)
In the factory we don't use water to soften the upper for lasting. We use steam, we're trying to get heat into the upper and the steam prevents the letter from drying out. Also if you put a non stretch backing on your vamp then you're gonna have a lot of trouble pulling that upper down onto the last.
Thanks for this info!
I learned so much from your video. Thank you 🙏
32:09 Thanks for the inspiration, enthusiasm and detail.❤❤
this is such an awesome video..wowza great job on the shoe making!!
Thanks so much! ❤
Very nice work! Your heels came out exceptionally well, I really like them!
I have been making shoes (Goodyear welted Oxfords, boots,etc) for about 4 years now and it is very, very difficult.
BTW, your sewing machine is amazing… I am green with envy!
Cheers!
Thanks so much - I would love to see your work! Yes I feel blessed to have this machine!
I also have finished my first pair of shoes and concur with all your comments on the challenges you faced and overcame. Using the right leather especially for the uppers makes a real difference in how well the lasting goes. If the thickness and stretchiness are just right it is much better to work with and this is so hard to judge when buying online. I made my own lasts and then did a single shoe prototype which helped me get some of the lessons learned out of the way but there were still plenty on the first real pair because some things are so material dependent. I made Derby style shoes which I think are a little more forgiving although achieving symmetry is a challenge. Altogether I think you did a superb job for your first pair of shoes and thank you for sharing the experience with us.
Congrats, and thanks for your comment!
Amazing workmanship. You should be very proud of yourself.
Thank you! ❤
👍🏾thumbs up! You did a great job!
Thank you! ❤
That was ABSOLUTELY MAGICAL!!!! 6 months minumum! 😅😅😅
Wow 🤩
Thank you! ❤
When are you going to start selling your shoes ? Absolutely amazing work, you are so gifted!
Dyed-through leather is much nicer to work with than surface-painted leather! The surface on the painted leather never lasts long, and you never get the beautiful patina that you get with dyed-through leather. My background is in saddlery and bridlework (mostly restoration) and the surface painted leather is a royal pain in the butt! In the past I’ve had to completely remove the paint layer ( what’s left of it!) before redyeing the leather to get it to look respectable.
Good to know, thank you!
I can see the passion in what you do and there's no way anyone can do such a tough, still delicate job without passion. Congratulation, the shoes came out flawless! I could never do this, I stick to crocheting. I wonder how many hours have you worked on this pair of shoes.
Thanks so much! I didn't keep track, but my guess is about 100 hours. Mind you, filming the process slows things down, and I was also learning a lot as I went. ❤
How? You are so determined!
Wow you rock. I’m with you in your thinking on quality and history I’ve played with similar projects. Kelly bag was my last success.
Thank you so much! ❤
I would LOVE ❤ to learn to make shoes 👠
Yay! ❤
How many other people do know who have made shoes? No one! That was rare and wonderful! Good for you! 👞
I got into authentic antique and vintage shoes many years ago due to wearing a woman’s size 4 (or I can fit into a child’s 2) 1920s shoes were much narrower and smaller and also 1930s. I have managed to find several pair that are in amazingly almost new condition but I don’t think I could actually make a pair!
I’m also interested in your other videos such as hair care. My hair is almost to my ankles. I don’t use shampoo and haven’t for a very long time. So what a joy to see I’m not the only one. *When people see the length of my hair l most often get asked, “Oh! What Kind if shampoo do you use!” As if there’s magic in the shampo 😜 when I say “I don’t use shampoo “ there’s sometimes funny reactions!
Excellent job but one piece of advice.... I noticed you were carving towards your body! 6:39 Don't do that, cut away from your body. I once had to rush to the hospital.... cutting towards myself with a rotary cutter....7 stitches. Was distracted by the door bell....but if I was working with the blade facing away from me...never would have happened. And I know it feels natural to cut towards yourself... But it's safer to cut away from yourself.
Thanks for the comment. ☺️Actually, in shoemaking if one is wearing a leather protective apron as I was, it's best in many applications to make controlled cuts towards the body. I appreciate your concern, sorry about your experience ❤
I shared you with my sister. We love you and enjoy your unique brand. We are wondering though🤔....... What is your secret to your gorgeous skin and eye brows?
This is 61 year old Anna from California. I'm still waiting for my oils to be delivered. The shipment has been delayed due to severe weather conditions. 😞. I am so excited!!!! 🥳Take care....our Canadian friend.❤️
Hi Anna,
Thanks for your comment and sharing with your sister! 💕 Thanks also for your compliment- I do plan on a natural skin care and makeup video in the near-ish future. I am very minimalist with my skin care, and use primarily jojoba oil and rose water on my face twice a day. As for my eyebrows, I like to use castor oil on them regularly, and I do fill them in a bit with natural makeup products ☺️💕
Try coat of Vaseline then polish the shoe with it.... That should take care of the flaking issue the leather had.
I want to be you when I grow up!
What was the overall cost? Considering this for some swing dancing shoes. The good ones are very expensive..
What thread did you use?
Is the broken glass step done so the sole grips the floor better? What is the "grain side" of leather?
No, I would say it is mostly done for looks, and to remove any scratches or hammer marks from the construction process. The grain side of the leather is the outside surface of the leather, as opposed to the flesh side of the leather.
I think makeing exactly the shoes one want that and takeing care of them then you need less number of shoes under a lifetime.
I’ve really enjoyed a lot of your content. It’s very therapeutic for me to watch you. Maybe you should do a dna test with ancestry and see if there are any shoemakers in your bloodline. Thank you for sharing! ❤️🙏
Thanks for the idea! ☺️