Making your own shoes

[dappleshark.livejournal.com]

Sooooo...I found this awesome book at my new library called "The Make-It-Yourself Shoe Book" by Christine Lewis Clark (copyright 1977) and I am now inspired. The book uses a molding method instead of using lasts and doesn't require much equiptment to get started. My largest problem would be were to find leather. I can't find anywhere locally that sells any, and I'd like some recommendations for mail-order supplies. They call for one inch thick foam rubber as well (says it's normally found in upolstery shops...but we seem to have a lackage of those too).

I've only worked with leather a tiny bit and most of that was stamping, but this doesn't look *too* terribly difficult and could potantially save me a great deal of money. I have uber-wide feet (as in 8 EEE) so the only commercial brand that commonly fits is New Balance and even then not quite right. If I can custom-make my own, they'd fit just right.... I was thinking too that if we ever decide to have any offspring (or I should say if he ever convinces me too lol), it seems like it would be much cheaper to make children's shoes too, especially when they are super young and grow out of them quickly.

Dunno if this book is still in print, but for anyone interested, the book is clear and well written. I wouldn't call them fashionable even by my lack of standards, but hey we're all crafty here, right? Personally I don't give crap what they look like though, as long as they fit!