Geez, what a zinger!
Pretty sure I said myself somewhere above that color can change perception. Figuring that out sure didn’t make me immune.
Nice, clean job on the eyelets, too. Are those number ones, by chance?
Good bit smaller than that. 000 maybe (8mm OD), which is part of why I went with 7 on such a short boot height. Little dressier treatment.
They’re “antique bronze” that I turned and then polished up a bit.
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Man, annoying evening. Was trimming the binding on the 2nd upper and cut it back too far. Had to completely remove it and make a new binding strip. Will sew the new strip on tomorrow and then be much, much more careful trimming
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Uppers done and getting a little pre-stretch going on.
Next step will be channeling the insole, so time to make some choices.
My plan has been 360 norvegese, but I am slightly considering doing more of a 180 norvegese and pegging the heel/waist to keep the back thinner
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I really appreciate how much easier 360 welting makes resoling, but I’ve always preferred the narrower look over the heel. Welting from heel breast to heel breast makes a nice compromise. I guess that’s why it’s so common.
Well, decided to go with the 180 on the norvegese.
Here is my first go at cutting a holdfast. About 7mm from the edge. Norvegese, so no outside groove, just the inside one. Not unhappy with how it turned out.
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I’ve yet to do Norwegian, so definitely following along!
What leather did you use for the insoles?
It’s not amazing. Probably well worth the price I paid, but next time I will buy something nicer.
One side was shaggier than a 70s carpet and there are a few small gouges in them. Took a decent amount of work to get them cleaned up.
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I probably shouldn’t have pre-punched the holes for the norvegese stitch, but being my first time, I wanted to make sure things were lined up right. Next time I won’t.
Also, in the great debate of inside out or outside in with the awl, I am in team outside in.
One ready for side reinforcements and toe puff. Will last the other foot tomorrow and get the toe puff drying.
Might actually get these done in time for the thunderdome.
Yeah, I’ve used the Panhandle insoles several times. They’ve been a bit inconsistent, but workable, and very affordable.
They were kind enough to confirm for my notes that they cut their insoles from the ends of Mexican sole bends.
I think outside-in makes more sense for exposed stitches, but prefer inside-out for welted work.
For welted, i think my inclination at the moment would be to pre-punch the insole outside in and then actually punch the upper/welt inside out.
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Toe puffs are in. Need to do a little more shaping, then I can finish lasting. Should be good to start the norvegese stitching tomorrow.
My plan right now is to do the main stitch and the chain stitch going into the insole in the same darker stitching on the boot with the stitchdown stitch to the midsole in natural with a chain stitch on it in the darker stitch, then the final double row stitch to the outsole in natural, so it all has a bit of a consistent gradient
Annoyingly, my lasting pliers slipped while lasting the toes leaving a scuff on the side. I need to learn to add more lasting allowance to my vamps too. Definitely am cutting it close on available material
My personal priority pre-piercing for welted work is to make sure I get as many holes as I can around toes, especially pointy toes, without undermining the holdfast. I can do that far easier from the inside out, by placing the awl blade slightly to the left or right of the end of the adjacent, previously pierced hole.
That’s as I work now. I’ve certainly heard tell of very experienced full-timers not pre-piercing at all and working outside-in.
It seems like universally good advice to tell beginner makers to cut generous lasting allowances and just expect to trim a lot later. It makes big vamps even bigger, but that’s really not the priority starting out.
@Customboots was a big help in giving me personal permission to do that. I’ve since reduced margins a bit, but only on pairs where I’ve built on the last before and am adjusting from existing pattern pieces.
Yah, the trimming is no big deal. I am not doing a large production run, trying to squeeze an extra pattern out per hide, etc. The frustration of not having much to hold on to isn’t worth headache.
I was able to get both lasted up nicely though. Will start stitching tomorrow.
Definitely looking good.
Nobody ever got fast from rushing.
