This week we have been flat out with our summer Intensive Shoemaking Course. We have 7 eager students from all over the world here to make a pair of hand welted shoes
Day 1 starts with sharpening their knives - very important!!!
And then moves on to skiving toe puffs and stiffeners
Hand skiving a stiffener |
Hand skiving a toe puff |
Explaining skiving |
After a good skiving session, they moved onto blocking the insole. After soaking it for 1 hour and letting it dry out to about 80% dry, they attached the insoles to the lasts and blocked them to the unsderside.
Cutting out an insole |
Blocked insoles drying |
Day 2 was spent preparing the insole.
After it had dried completely, they trimmed the edges and started to prepare the holdfast or feather.
Marking out the holdfast/feather |
Boning the holdfast |
Day 3 was lasting - pulling the upper over the last with the stiffeners and toe puffs between the lining and the uppers.
Toe puffs drying |
Days 4 and 5 were dedicated to welting by hand - the epitome of English shoemaking. This is a challenge but our intrepid students tackled it with great patience and enthusiasm
First they prepared the welts themselves
And then the welting started
Hand stitching the welt |
Hand stitching the welt |
Tomorrow will see them putting in shanks and cork filler and then attaching their soles. This is the half way point on the course so they get a well deserved Sunday off, but come Monday, they will be up and at it again stitching their soles, building heels and finishing
Onwards and upwards
We have finalised dates for next year's classes and will be publishing them soon on the website
Until next week, happy shoemaking!
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