Saturday, January 24, 2009

Shoes

It's time to begin thinking sensibly about this season in the world of medieval re-enactment. I need shoes and I need authentic ones - my current ones aren't 100% authentic, so I need new ones.
Shoes are expensive and authentic ones are hard to find, so my idea this year is to make my own.

Today was one of the scheduled Company of Chivalry Skills Days and I went hoping to have a lesson with our resident cordwainer (aka Gary, who is our esteemed Lord Hungerford these days) on how to make shoes. I had no idea it was so simple! I have learnt how to make the patterns of a simple shoe for myself and how to cut them out and put them together. Obviously, I know the actual sewing of the shoes will be hard work, but I have now learnt how to do 'hidden stitch' and 'flesh stitch' - the two main stitches of shoe-making in the 14C.

I'm actually pretty bad with my hands and am notoriously awful with crafty things, but my practice stitches came out looking quite good :-)

Now I just have to buy some leather, an awl, beeswax and get going - roll on market day!

cq

9 comments:

Sleepypete said...

Hope they're not too awkward to break in ... We're going to need pictures of the project :-)

Netchick sent me ... this time ;-)

Anonymous said...

Netchick sent me, too. Time to take a little look around. :)

C.

Bobkat said...

Plenty of beeswax methinks - nice and waterproofed and soft and supple!

Netchick sent me over to wish you oodles of luck with the shoe making. Watch out for elves! ;)

carmilevy said...

Your resourcefulness seems to know no bounds, my friend. It would never occur to me to take matters into my own hands, so to speak, because I believe I was born with two left hands.

Yet you dive right in. That's inspiring.

Tanya sent me. But she doesn't really have to. I love coming here any old time. Just because.

Dorothy said...

NetChick sent me and good luck with the crafts.

Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com

David Edward said...

wow authentic shoes, made for the maid, by the craziequeen

good for you

Netchick said to stop on by

rashbre said...

I am totally impressed with this project. Awaiting pictures!!

Melli said...

I LOVE your enthusiasm! We WILL see pictures of these shoes, won't we?

Lazy Daisy said...

You go Girl....if anyone can do it, it would be you oh my queen. I'm with Melli, we will get to see pictures of the process and the final outcome ?