Shape matters!

When we're teaching, students often ask how important the last is to the look of the finished shoe. Well the last and toe shape are a vital starting point, but in fact every decision that you make actually impacts on the final look of a shoe.

James and I have been discussing which last we should choose for our new spectator design and we thought that this would be a good way of illustrating this point. Below are the two lasts we are thinking about.  The upper has been made from a pattern for one of the lasts, but we've pulled it over both to see how it looks. Very different as you can see!

We originally used the last on the left for our new Loafer and the last on the right for our new Oxford (see below).

You can see how different from the Spectator the Loafer and Oxford look, despite the lasts being the same. The lack of seams on the Loafer and the skin texture of the Crocodile give the shoes a completely different feel to the Spectator example.

The Loafer last looks more casual and relaxed with its flat, rounded toe. and the Oxford last looks more elegant and sleek with its elongated, snub nosed toe.

But how different will they look if the sole is leather, or rubber or crepe?

Can you picture it? And can you guess what we chose?

Food for thought. Until next week happy shoemaking!

Courses on film and St Crispin's Day

The autumn course finished in a flurry of activity as the guys took on Finishing, the most important part of shoe making, once you've actually mastered making a shoe.

Here's the task that faced them on Friday morning...

To add extra urgency to the course, the students had kindly agreed to be filmed for an article and a series of short films on craft in the latest issue of Creative Review magazine (and soon on line). (Don't worry, we'll blog the link once it goes live). Luckily all of the extra attention did not seem to put them off their stride and they kept their heads down, working hard.

Camilla getting ready for a close-up!

Stitching soles

Heel building

Putting on the split lift

Hammer time!

Alistair enjoying having someone other than us to talk to about shoe making

Heels built! All set for trimming and finishing

Sanding bottoms

And the finished shoes...apologies for the pic quality, but the shoe making quality was superb!

Well done guys! Wishing you all a very HAPPY ST. CRISPIN'S DAY for tomorrow, 25th October!

Here's the stirring St. Crispin Day speech by William Shakespeare from Henry V to set you up for the week ahead - until next week happy shoemaking!

WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

KING. What’s he that wishes so?
My cousin, Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call’d the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say “To-morrow is Saint Crispian.”
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say “These wounds I had on Crispian’s day.”
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day

New course dates for 2015 - Shoe Making and Pattern Making for Bespoke Shoes

We've settled back into the routine of shoe making after our various summer forays and have now had a chance to plan the courses for next year, 2015.

  

 

All of our London courses are based in central London at Cockpit Arts in historic Bloomsbury, within easy reach of the capital's outskirts via bus and underground services and the mainline train stations at Waterloo, Kings Cross and Euston.

We are offering hand sewn shoe making courses in London in spring, summer and autumn next year: 

Intensive Hand Sewn Shoe Making, London

5^th  – 17^thJanuary

3^rd – 15^th August 

5^th – 17^th October 

In July, we are delighted to welcome back Fiona Campbell who will be taking students step-by-step through her comprehensive Pattern Making for Bespoke Shoes course. 

 

Pattern Making for Bespoke Shoes London - 27^th – 31^st July. 

This is immediately followed by our two-week Intensive Hand Sewn Shoe Making course from 3rd - 15th August. 

The London Intensive Hand Sewn Shoe Making course is £1990 and the Pattern Making for Bespoke Shoes course is £799. If you book both a Shoe Making course and the Pattern Making course together there is a £250 discount. 

If New York is a more convenient location for you, then join us in the spring when Brooklyn is looking its best. 

Based in the heart of trendy Williamsburg at Brooklyn Bespoke, Jesse Moore will once again be unravelling the tricks and techniques of pattern making.

Pattern Making for Bespoke Shoes, New York 4^th – 8^th May.

...followed immediately by our two-week, New York based, Intensive Shoe Making Course. 

Intensive Hand Sewn Shoe Making, New York 11^th – 23^rd May. 

Courses in New York cost £2400 for the Intensive Hand Sewn Shoe Making and £799 for the Pattern Making (and don't forget the discount of £250 if you book both together).

London based shoe making enthusiasts wanting a more relaxed experience should sign up for our Monday evening classes from 6 - 9pm. The classes cost £485 per term and although we have a short waiting list, places do become available each term, so it is always worth putting your name down. Just email us to let us know that you are interested.

Spring: 12^th Jan. - 23^rdMarch; half term holiday w/c 16^th Feb

Summer: April 13th - June 29th;  May 4th Bank Holiday; half term holiday w/c 25^th May

Autumn: 14^th Sept. - 23^rd November; half term holiday w/c 26th October

The booking forms and dates will go up on the website shortly, so if you are interested please email us in the first instance. We look forward to sharing our students' journeys into shoe making, and their achievements, with you next year.

Until next week happy shoemaking!