As the courses have progressed we have gradually introduced teaching aids to help to explain what it is students are trying to achieve at each stage. Here are our toe puff and stiffener examples.
Our resident dentist / shoemaker was perhaps unsurprisingly skilled with a pair of pliers!
And with an increasing number of students wanting bespoke lasts we are getting an interesting array of toe shapes. On this course
...pointed and
are going to give the students added challenges when they are lasting and welting!
But for today, they are well under way. The blocked insoles were duly trimmed and the holdfasts have been prepared (it looks as though some will hold faster than others but we shall see!)
...and two students have begun lasting. It's give everyone a buzz of excitement as they see the shoes finally begin to take shape.
The group are in the safe hands of Mr Ducker tomorrow and Thursday and then I am taking them to the end of the course, so I am looking forward to seeing welts well under way for a second great week of sole stitching, heel building and finishing. Fingers crossed all goes well in the next few days.
Until tomorrow happy shoemaking!
