My hobby is collecting hobbies. But I think boot and shoe making might be THE hobby. The more I learn, the more I realize there is more to learn. I’m an academic by training, so I have a desk job. Creating something practical and tangible using my hands is a welcome break from my very abstract day to day work.
I prefer these kind of old-school standalone forums to the big social-media sites for a lot of reasons. I hope this one grows.
I’m currently working on my first pair, a basic cap toe ankle boot, and learning all I can, wherever I can.
A lot of us here began by acquiring too many shoes, then wandered over into making. A few of us are otherwise desk-bound professional-somethings, too, though this is hardly a hoity-toity gentleman’s club. Everybody’s welcome here.
As you might guess, I really prefer the relative quiet of an old-school forum like this, too. So much so that I decided to host this one myself.
You may know how it goes with small forums like this: Please feel encouraged to be “constructively selfish”!
If there’s a topic you’d like to discuss, or a question on your mind, or a project you’re working on, or something you’ve found and just want to share, feel free to start your own topics here, as well as to jump in on existing ones. If it’s of interest to you, it’s almost certainly of interest to others.
There aren’t any qualifications for jumping into discussions. Everybody willing to share a little makes this forum a more useful, interesting, and lively Internet place.
I’d encourage you to start a topic for your pair over in Projects, even if you can’t photograph, videotape, or even jot notes on every step—few people can. There’s no reason at all to be self-conscious about your first pair, and everything to gain from giving others a chance to help you, or simply cheer you on.
Post up your trials and tribulations as you go. Be self critical of what’s working and what isn’t. Often that self-reflection by just talking it through is very helpful at learning.