As I promised earlier – there will be new classes. Here they are!
https://www.shoemakingcourse.com
Please visit and sign up for your next class and learn shoemaking, design, pattern-making! Not just fun, but it miught be your next profession?
Category Archives: Workshop
Sole Stitching
Let’s go back to professional details… sole stitching. This is the most challenging area for us, shoemakers. Those few, who mastered it in a level, which doesn’t even seem like real – well… they don’t share much. You can’t blame them. The fine sole stitching is a hard to earn skill and it costs, years, traveling, courses, experimenting – you just don’t spit it out for a casual “how did you do this?” comment.
Here is a couple of idea to learn this skill.
Welting. This is where it starts. Without a pretty good, straight welting and very importantly – excellent quality welt – you do what you want. The top of the welt will be sloppy and will not hold the shape. Those welts are expensive, you are looking for 7-8+ USD/meter. The welting should be nice and flat, flash to the feather edge and that feather edge should be really, really sharp to compliment the straight line of stitches.
New shoes, new career
Where should I start… I left my job as a professor recently. It was my decision and I think it was a great one. From now I want to spend all of my time in my workshop/store and focus on custom orders and.. this. Ready to wear. Is it even possible? Trust me – I asked myself this question several times. Beside I am a shoemaker by trade, I also hold an economist degree, so I can say I understand at least little how the market should work. It works pretty easy: buy dirt cheap, sell is expensive, then discount it and sell it for less and discount it so you don’t lose too much and sell the rest.
That is not my plan. First of all: I never discounted any of my footwear. Compared to far east products (costs a few buck per pair), these shoes have JR leather insoles, French bespoke grade lining, Dainite soles, British bespoke quality leather stiffeners etc… They are made to last. The concept is simple: no fast fashion, no seasons, no fancy fashion trends, which are cool now, but so uncool in a few months. This should be timeless.
I selected a durable, extremely thick US tanned leather and a timeless design: a derby with stitchdown. I can tell this – after the prototype was done, I removed the last and sold in an hour. That was amazing. I considered that as a sign that it is a good direction.
Here is the shoe.
After the prototype was gone I just felt that something still could be better. First step: changed the upper leather. Now – where do the shoes wear off fast? Around the counter. People don’t use shoe horns. (I am guilty in that too sometimes), so the stitches wear off pretty fast. Cobblers can fix t more or less, but – why wouldn’t I make it just impossible to wear out? So this idea came and added another cool detail, what I always wanted to do.
Now, this shoe is made for walking, to be kicked off, go to a road trip, generally be a good and trusty friend for many years. Not just sturdy, but relative easy to repair if it comes to the point.
We will start to make them as ready to wear soon – and very happy to deal with PHYSICAL stores (sorry no online ones yet). Please contact us at info@savannahcordwainers.com or visit www.savannahcordwainers.com
Design stuff
Here are a few of my design – and I guess I owe a little explanation where they came from and why do I post it now.
A little while ago I did every single chance for competitions for certain reasons. I won some and a lot more did not succeeded. Kind of the nature of the competitions. This time I decided to show the World that beside I am a teacher, pattern-maker and a maker as well, I can also make decent footwear renders (and designs) as well. Graphic design and typography was always one of my favorite.
Why do I post them now? Well, it was 3 years ago. I am not saying that there were no “screen shoe” ideas out there, but I did not see any of them. So, here is my little contribution to the street athletic footwear industry. (By the way _ thinking about the suspension idea, I don’t that it would work – if does and someone copy it – I want a part of it! 😉 )
Courses – 2018 Summer
So, we just re-designed our course website and added the new courses. Good news: there will be courses continuously from June. Every month. Click on the link and sign up now!
The Extinction of a Craft
Let’s just state this right away: I am not trying to be dramatic here. I am not implying anything at all. The sole purpose of this post to start a conversation within professional circles. Where are we? What did we do so far to avoid losing our traditions? What can our generation, we, you and I do more, better?
Still Alive!
Although very inactive lately. Well, that is about to change. Stay tuned, awesome posts are on their way about shoemaking, shoes and everything related. Happy New Year followers!
