Sheilajeanne Report post Posted July 22, 2021 (edited) Thought this was interesting! They provide the template and soles, you do the sewing! Could certainly be adapted to using leather rather than cloth! https://www.facebook.com/OESHshoes/ I think this would be great for someone who had never made shoes before, but wanted to give it a try! Edited July 22, 2021 by Sheilajeanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rahere Report post Posted July 22, 2021 1 hour ago, Sheilajeanne said: Thought this was interesting! They provide the template and soles, you do the sewing! Could certainly be adapted to using leather rather than cloth! https://www.facebook.com/OESHshoes/ I think this would be great for someone who had never made shoes before, but wanted to give it a try! Only if your feet are standard and they fit that standard. I have extremely wide feet, so spend too much time showing ignorant salesfolk I cannot wear their shoes. Others have thin feet. I'd have to go up about three sizes to get a standard width to fit, and they don't make shoes that long! Plus the trip danger is loke wearing a clown's shoe. I'm fully aware you ladies have a culture only beaten by the Chinese bound feet for forcing your plates* into shoes which are halfway between physiologically crippling and demonstrably masochistic, but there's no need to encourage it! This wasn't an issue when all shoes were cobbled, but since plastic injection, I have to travel halfway across London to find a shop which sells gym shoes which fit. They, on the other hand, can barely handle me because my feet just aren't crazy enough. My venturing into the area is part of learning how to adapt shoes to my needs. *Plates? I was raised in cockneydom. Plates o'meat, feet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed in Tx Report post Posted July 28, 2021 Rahere, the issue with a lack of wide shoes exists here in the US as well. There is no uniformity in sizes between manufacturers and even between styles within the same makers. Ordering shoes online is a crap shoot because I never know if they are going to fit. Not all online sellers offer free return shipping and some even want to charge a restocking fee. You are not alone Bigfoot! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sheilajeanne Report post Posted July 29, 2021 So, Tandy has started selling something similar, only their soles are white, not black, and they are charging $80 Canadian for the kit. Since I prefer the black soles, I figured out my size (I think the Tandy sizing chart is MUCH more accurate than the one on OESH) and filled in the blanks to order. Their soles are $59.00 but with shipping, it comes to $82.00. Shipping from their location in Virginia is $23.00!! Sigh. Going to think on this for a bit - what if the sole I've picked doesn't fit? And the last time I shipped something to the U.S., it took almost THREE MONTHS to get where it was going... Meanwhile, I think I'll start working on that pair of moccasins I've been wanting to make! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sheilajeanne Report post Posted July 29, 2021 Footnote on the sizing: When buying footwear these days, I usually need a women's size 9. But when I measured my foot, the OESH site told me to order a size 7!! Heck, even in my younger days, before old age caused my feet to swell, I took a 7 1/2 shoe! Tandy got the size right when I checked their sizing chart against my measurement. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
