Getting Ready For The New York Intensive Course

Before we launch into all things shoe related, we just wanted to give you a quick pictorial update from last week's big event, to share some of the other highly skilled crafts that we showed alongside and to capture something of the launch night glamour!

Guy Salter of Walpole making the welcome speech

Yours truly and the lovely Laura Hollis-Ryan

Awesome screens

 beautiful porcelain....

beautiful Beckers...

 traditional English crystal

 a collaboration between Ptolemy Mann and Eloise Gray evocative of the 1930s/40s

the intricate enamelling of Vicheron Constantin watches

 Mark Henderson and Catherine Lock of The New Craftsmen

 and Juan-Carlos Torres, CEO of Vicheron Constantin and Guy Salter of Walpole.


And a video about the whole show. Unfortunately, Deborah's interview was cut off by the emptying of a skip outside her window - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_WX4eBZkCM. Still worth a watch though

As many of you know, we have a handsewn shoemaking course starting in New York in May. As part of the preparation, we have to make each student a Making Pack. And here is what goes into it

Insoles

Welts

Soles

Heel stiffeners

Toe puffs

Leather shanks

Heel lifts

Split lifts or rands

Top pieces. All this leather we refer to as "rough stuff" and it oak bark tanned cow hide from Bakers of Colyton a traditional pit tanners in Devon, England. It is the hide we use in our shoes so it is great quality.

All in a tidy box along with

Uppers (plain black or brown Derby)

A basic tool kit including lasting pliers, awl handles, awl blades, silver pen, tape measure, flat knife and sleeking bone.

 And lasts on your size.

Next up is to box it all up along with some extra tools, glues, materials etc and get it shipped to Brooklyn

Not long till we start now and we are very excited. We always enjoy our two weeks there. It's hard work but great fun - can't wait.

Until next week, happy shoemaking!