This week we had a wonderful blog post on the Escapement website. Angus Davies went into Gieves to meet Deborah and talk through the bespoke shoemaking process. The result is on the following link and we think it is a great piece. Apart from the insights into the bespoke process and the benefits to the customer, I had a gentle chuckle at Deborah being described as "Titian haired" - that phrase has legs! We hope you enjoy the piece, dear readers.
On the 10th of August, we started a post about the holdfast and welting around the heel. Well, here is part two.
So, you have welted around from heel point to heel point and you have the heel area to do.
The way I usually do it this. It's basically like welting but without the welt. I put change how I put the awl in though from the inside to the outside. I put the the hole about 4mm from the feather edge. And on the first one, I like to put the awl through the skived end of the welt.
Pass the threads through like before.
Pull tight.
Continue around the heel until you get back to where you started.
On the last stitch, put the awl through the first hole you made when you started welting. Pass the outside thread ONLY through this hole.
You will end up with two threads on the inside.
Tie a knot in them and cut them.
The last thing to do is trim off the excess leather close to the stitches. Et voila! It's finished.
I like this method because it is simple and strong. And remember, you can do the stitches a little bigger than on the welt.
Hope that all makes sense.
Have a great week and until next Friday, happy shoemaking!
