You can make your own shoes or boots at home, in a wide variety of styles, without a lot of special equipment. If you want to try your hand at fancier shoes or boots, it's wise to take a class that gives you hands-on instruction and access to more advanced tools. Even today, when mass production is standard, shoe making is a valuable skill; it saves you money and it's good for the environment.
Basics
There are several types of shoes or boots that can be made at home, even without a high level of expertise. Fisherman's sandals, felt boots or clogs, loafers, and slip-ons are just a few examples. For your first pair of shoes, it's best to find a very basic pattern and choose inexpensive materials. Once you're confident in your ability to make a shoe that fits perfectly and looks great, you can move on to more ambitious projects.
Materials
A simple pair of shoes only requires a few basic materials. In fact, you probably have most of them already. The bare essentials are: scissors, thread, a craft knife, a hole punch, contact cement and a metal ruler. More specialized items that you may need are: felt, leather, heavy fabric, rubber soles, a glover's needle, a stitching awl and a blunt sewing needle. If you don't want to purchase leather or felt, you can use the fabric from an old coat or sweater.
Process
The first step in shoe or boot making is designing and cutting a pattern.
A shoe has four basic parts, the sole (bottom of the shoe), insole (inside sole), heel, and upper (top of the shoe). Boots and more complicated shoes like platforms may have more parts.
Industrial shoe making has four stages:
Cutting--Material for the upper is cut.
Machining--The pieces that have been cut for the upper are stitched together, first on a flat sewing machine, and then on a post machine when the upper is beginning to take shape. Finally, the edges are finished and eyelets for laces (if necessary) are inserted.
Lasting and Making--The upper is stretched over a last (used to mold the upper part of the shoe into the desired shape), the sole and insole are sewn on, and the heel is attached.
Finishing--Once the entire shoe has been put together, it is colored, shined, and buffed.
Classes
To make a more refined and expensive looking shoe or boot, it's advisable to take a class or workshop. There, you will learn to make a pattern and a last based on your own foot. This will enable you to create shoes that fit you perfectly. Shoe making schools, craft organizations, or a college or university with a robust fashion design department often offer classes for beginners. You can also take a two to three day workshop for a more intensive shoe making experience.
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