Hi all – this is the first pair that I’ve made using the zig-zag punch of awesome from Brian Brown Armory. I absolutely love the look. It’s very similar to the extant pieces shown there, and are the model for Lesson 9. Note that in so many things, clothing, shoes, arts, etc., smaller is actually more correct. So much of the detail, the pinking, the small notches, the decoration, and the like was done small to show off the artistry of the craftsperson. As re-enactors, there is a tendency to make things larger and more visible, but my experience has taught me that less really is more.
Hello to all, and happy new year! I hope that the holiday season treated you well. I do not typically make new year’s resolutions, but in my case, I will endeavor to be better about posting twice a month – I’ve actually been quite busy and have had a few commissions completed, but most are similar to what you have seen before. The below is no exception, although I particularly like the cross decoration on the vamp.
A couple of new things to look forward to in the coming months – I’ll be deconstruction a reproduction shoe made by one of the shoemakers at Williamsburg. Then, I’ll reproduce it based on that technique and instructions from Garsault, so that will hopefully be illuminating! I also have a commission for a new pair of pantofles which will be interesting and fun to make. Looking forward to 2014!
Hello, all! As I mentioned in my previous post, American Duchess and I have collaborated to bring you “Stratford,” an Elizabethan/Jacobean shoe now available for pre-order. These come in both ladies and mens sizes! You can find full details and pre-order here!
Additionally, I am happy to offer silk satin, double faced, shoelace ribbons perfect for any kind of simple tie-closure shoe. This is real silk, not polyester like many ribbons out there. At the end are two handmade brass aglets or tips, into which the ribbon has been inserted and kept in place with a little bit of glue and a gentle crimp. They come in 1″, 1.5″, and 2″ widths, and a variety of colors, and make an excellent addition to “Stratford.” You can find them on my Etsy site, and the silver 2″ wide ribbon is pictured on the right.
I did allude to some news a while back, and now I can let the cat out of the bag – American Duchess and I have collaborated to bring you a truly remarkable shoe! “Stratford” is a reproduction 1600s shoe, suitable for both men and women from about the 1580s through to the 1630s. We both worked very hard to bring you this piece, and we’re terribly pleased to offer Stratford to you, designed by yours truly, and produced by American Duchess. Below, I provide some interim design stages and background about the process, but first, let me give you Stratford!
