Make your own boots! with a few basic tools and some leather .......

Ok so its not soooo simple! but it is totally possible... above is a photo from an 8 day workshop I did in Uruguay (3 hours a day) and the students did great, showing only one finished boot as some had not finished the other side yet!

I studied how to design and make boots in a tiny specialist college in London, Cordwainers (now sadly merged with London college of fashion) where we got to use all the huge powerful machines involved in turning out a 'proper' pair of shoes! But I wasn't so interested in proper shoes, I wanted to learn how to make boots without all the huge machines, without electricity, in a way more similar to the native peoples or America.

In college I luckily won employment offers through design competition for Emap, Clarkes and for Sergio Rossi (Gucci group) in Italy, And I ran away! .... to travel the world and do many un-shoe related things! But shoes stayed in my mind, and the enjoyment I'd got from creating them. So ten years later in Spain I decide to start again making boots, It was a struggle at first as I needed to remember all the pattern making details and also find ways around the missing machines that sew, press cut and squish the shoe together :-), So I learned how with a few basic tools I could create Boots that I could then Sell on Etsy and support me and my baby boy. I'm very keen to share the skills I now have, for free! just waiting until my baby girl is a bit older ;-)

I think its really a great way for people to make money from crafting/creating as there is less competition then with clothing or bags. Its a bit more complicated in the beginning, but if enough people here show interest I can do an online steemit workshop on producing a pair of your own moccasins.

As far as sustainability goes, I recycle my clothes here, we swap and create what we wear, mostly just buying socks or underwear! sometimes buying used clothes in the local Rastro (car boot sale), And yes boots and shoes can be recycled/bought second hand here too, but! its really really satisfying to make your own boots and wear them.

I discovered that the old hand turned singer sewing machines are strong enough to go through two layers of leather, although mostly I join together with leather cord or macrame thread, then with a good hole punch, awls, leather scissors, and spiral lace cutter your ready to go!

All boots in photos designed and hand made by me, knitted part by Sonia, photos my own, please comment if your interested in more :-) and!...

Click this link to see our 2 month horse trek with kids in the mountains...link-horse trek