Shoes and Craft

Channel scraper – this little guy will make your stitches perfectly hidden and the sole flat.

Use it like this:

And this (this is the safer way):

As useful as dangerous.. it can destroy your sole also.

Preparing thread…

And attach the needle (no, thanks for the question, not bristle – we live in the XXI. century you know.. anyway, bristles won’t make the shoes better)

This is the way to attach:

Done. “Open” the welt, so you can stitch under the feather line. A strong bone folder or a special tool will do the job well.

I mean this (this is from approx. 1920-1930):

Fix the shoe to your leg with a strap…

And don’t forget to protect the upper – your awl can deeply mark it. We don’t need them to prove that its handmade..

Then start stitching! The good news: you can use long (double, triple stitch, like 7-8 mm. Bad news: be very precise or you will only have a poorly made English welted shoe.. The stitches must be hidden after the sole hammered up.

That wood tool in use.

Almost done..

Still visible.. Yet.

From an other view… look how the previous stitches went under the feather line!

Closing the channel.