Alice in Wonderland

Inspired by the fantastic work of Slinkachu we have come over all Alice in Wonderland this week... and everything has suddenly become really, really small!

Image courtesy of Claymoor's List

Traditionally shoemakers would display tiny versions of their work on their carts, outside their workshops and in their shop windows. These miniatures showcased their exceptional skills and attracted in passing trade.

You might think making smaller shoes is easier, but don't be fooled. Yes there are fewer stitches, less material to last and a smaller sole and heel area to finish. But making in miniature presents its own challenges. You can't hold the shoe in your lap, a smaller area means that any marks look enormous and your awls suddenly look gargantuan!

Our lasting post came in handy for the stitching and a sturdy thigh worked fine as a work surface. So these little cuties were lasted with narrow nosed pliers, welted as normal with a light four-core thread and lightweight welt and filled with cork (rather than a leather shank). Next we will be glueing on a quarter inch sole (skived thinner at the edges) and stitching, before building a light heel and finishing with a natural finish.

More pictures of how they work out next week. Until then happy shoemaking!

Three days of Open studios, two pattern making courses and one Billionaire!

Hello shoe fans around the world, it's been a busy week here at the carreducker studios. We are gearing up for Cockpit Arts' Open Studios this weekend where our visitors will get their first glimpse of 'The Cray Twins' - the perfect summer shoe. 

Most importantly the sun is shining; we're very excited to be making something small and beautiful to help to celebrate the Coronation Centenary next month (all very hush hush); and we've welcomed some lovely new bespoke customers to the fold, who promise us colourful creations in the future. 

Worldwide, there seems to be a growing enthusiasm for making things, including shoes, which is why you'll have seen last week that we've added two extra courses for 2013-14. 

To complement those courses we are extending our pattern making courses. 

We're delighted that Fiona Campbell will continue to offer our students her pattern making expertise. Fiona has extensive experience in all aspects of British bespoke shoemaking, has taught at Cordwainers College (now the London College of Fashion), is a lecturer at the Victoria & Albert Museum and has worked with members of the exclusive West End Master Boot Makers Society . 

We have two places remaining for her pattern making course this August and there will be additional pattern making courses in January 20 - 24th and 28th July - 1st August next year, (timed to coincide with the intensive courses). 

We also look forward to welcoming Jesse Moore to the fold as our pattern making lecturer in New York, 28th April - 2 May. Jesse has long been our generous host in New York where she runs her own bespoke shoemaking business. With a  broad skill set, informed by her fine arts background, she does all of the phases of bespoke handsewn shoemaking herself including designing, pattern making, closing and shoe making. 

 We finish this week's post with a rather timely and altogether fantastic piece on Billionaire.com.

 A massive thank you to Josh and Piers for making 'intensive' sound such fun and look so great!

Until next week, happy shoemaking!

New Courses, Course Dates For 2014 And A Vintage Video

Welcome back shoe friends, both old and new. The reach we have around the world never ceases to amaze me. This week we have had a little spike on page views from the DRC! Fantastic. Makes me wonder how making shoes in the Tropics would be and what problems it would throw up. We would definitely have to adjust our thread wax recipe.
This reminds me that one thing we did do in Spain was to use canvas vamp linings to make the shoes less hot. Perhaps we would have to do that at least.

Anyway, on to other things. Our intensive shoemaking courses have proved very popular and, rather than turning people away, we have decided to run two extra two week classes during the year, giving more people the chance to learn this ancient and venerable trade

So, starting in October this year (from Monday 7th until Saturday 19th) we have an Autumn course. We are booking for this course now.

All of our intensive shoemaking courses run from Monday to Saturday, from 9.30am until 5.30pm, making a total of 96 hours in the classroom. In this time you will make a pair of hand stitched shoes from a pair of lasts,uppers and oak bark hide which we supply. You get to keep the shoes and a basic tool kit.
This is your chance to learn all of the skills described in this blog, from hand lasting to welting and sole stitching to building heels. All done by hand in the traditional way.

There is a maximum of 7 students on the courses to ensure you get plenty of 1:1 teaching.
Email us for a course outline and booking form

courses@carreducker.com

Moving on to 2014, this is our programme of intensive course dates in LONDON.

January 6th to 18th
£1930

August 4th to 16th
£1930

August 18th to 30th
£1930

October 6th to 18th
£1930

We will also continue our intensive shoemaking course in BROOKLYN, NY on the following dates

May 5th to 17th
£2370

If you live in or near to London, you can also sign up for our weekly shoemaking course on a Monday night. Running from 6pm till 9pm, we give three ten week terms throughout the year. The course outline is the same for intensive courses and the aim is to make a pair of handsewn shoes for yourself.

We are now taking bookings for the October term. The cost is £475 per term.

This week a student of ours sent us the link for an amazing video of Peal & Co which made bespoke shoes in London from 1791 until 1965. A family run business, they had a fantastic reputation for quality shoes and had shops in the West End and a factory in Acton. This is a compilation of family Super 8 films with a raucous intermittent soundtrack from a family screening - typical shoe folk, enjoying a drink!

It is long but has some very interesting footage of all sorts of steps in the shoemaking process.

Hope you enjoy it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSh5g0nz5rk

That's it for this week. Until the next time, happy shoemaking!

New Boots

Welcome once more, gentle shoe folk of the world. Another week passes and it's been a bit of a tough one. Jet lag has been sending me a bit loopy on and off all week. Going west it seems to be ok, but heading back east is much harder. Poor, overworked shoemakers!

Despite being very busy this week, we have not had any making which has been out of the ordinary or particularly worthy of comment. So, we are going to show you a pair of boots which we think are particularly lovely.

A classic carréducker design, the Saddle Boot. The original looked like this.

Rather lovely and rather popular with its combination of black calf and antiqued chestnut calf. This one had  30s inspired facings, with a curve like spats which, while beautiful, had slight gaping issues when worn.

So the next incarnation had more V shaped facings and more substantial stay stitches. And were monotone. Still lovely, of course

And so to their latest (and greatest incarnation)

Same basic style but, two tone leather - Madeira blue with rich tan calf skins, but with the addition of the very striking sky blue glace kid lining. All in a very sleek, contemporary looking classic boot. We love them. And so, thankfully, does the customer.

And the blue laces are the finishing touch.

Gorgeous!

Until next week, happy shoemaking!

New York Intensive Shoemaking Course - Final Day

Ok, people, another carreducker intensive shoemaking class comes to and end. Our New York trips are always fun and I know that Deborah would join me in saying a massive well done to all our students. Thy have been a lovely group and a lot of fun. The standard of work has also been excellent. I really think that the quality gets better every year and I think it is something to do with the surge in interest in our venerable craft.

So, with that in mind, here are the happy crew with their equally happy teacher. Congratulations guys!

The Shoes - Gorgeous Huh?

Add caption

Finishing In Progress

Burnishing The Sole

Inking The Soles, Heels And Edges

Sanding The Top Piece

Shining The Sole

And that, dear readers, is a wrap. Until next year of course. And until next week, happy shoemaking! PS Apologies for the images which were uploaded from my ipad and don't seem to be entirely compatible with Blogger on a computer. I am a shoemaker, not an IT person!