WALNUT shoes!

[goody2shoes]

My most favourite thing to do when I have the time is make shoes! I have treated myself to some WALNUT Italian leather oxfords, hand stitched down sole and leather lined...yummy!  

[JerseyFirefighter]

Fantastic. Shoe making seems to be way out of my wheelhouse for what I currently do, but I love seeing posts like this to know that the tools are there, and I just need to focus on a goal if I really want to make it happen. What weight do you use for the outer portion of the shoe?

[goody2shoes]

Hi, yes they are a labour of love but so worth it! Here I used about 4 ounce leather 1.5mm ish for the uppers but skived the edges to get a good shape around the last. Good luck on your shoe journey  

[ByNelson]

Nice work... I like them a lot 

[Stetson912]

By the title I was expecting to see some colossal walnuts on your feet, but this is better hehe..

In all seriousness, they look great. I always found shoemaking interesting, I just don't seem to have the time or money to learn how to do it at the moment. Great work.

[goody2shoes]

Ha ha! Massive walnuts would be awesome! Thanks 

[LeatherBeast]

Wow, they look great! Shoemakers are always so impressive to me.

[goody2shoes]

Thanks, it's all the same skills as you have, just made around a last  

[billybopp]

Those look really awesome, and I bet they're darned comfy too!  I'd love to have a go at making shoes one of these days.  Do you have any suggestions for learning resources?

Bill

[goody2shoes]

Thank you Bill, yes they're super comfy! 

I have been painstakingly teaching myself shoe making through lots of trials and errors, I trained in all other leather work as an apprentice to a master saddler in Wales for 4 years and have been trying to accomplish shoes in my spare time! 

I like watching this lady's tutorials on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/SKDEZIGN

and I have some really old cobblers books and patterns. 

The pattern making is key! To get good at first and then the actual shoe making just utilises the general leather working skills that you probably already have. 

I made up my own way of stitching down the soles to skip a few steps in the very long process but I suggest you go fully into good year welting and proper lasted shoes if you want to get a full understanding of them as many beautiful shoes are still made like that for a reason. 

I suggest buying yourself a set of lasts in your size, lots of masking tape and card and cheap leather that you don't mind messing up because believe me you will! 

Any more questions I'm happy to help