Appearing Soon!

I wanted to let people know what stuff to be on the look out for coming up really soon.

On June 9th, Chicago is presenting the Bike Chic: Commuter Fashion show as part of it's Bike to Work Week, being put on by Bike Chicago.

A while back when I found that a friend, Seth Meyerink-Griffin, was possibly taking part in a bike fashion show, it seemed like an ideal time to take my bike shoe explorations off of hiatus.

Well, Seth is doing the show! As of now, my participation is kind of unofficial, but I will be providing the shoes worn by his models for the Bike Chic show. The shoe lasts I was modifying recently are for one of the pairs of shoes being modeled.

Here are a couple images I'm basing my designs off of - just a couple quick sketches from my sketchbook. These aren't the final designs and I'm working with Seth to keep the color story coherent, so this is just a little something:


Bike related things have been at the forefront of my brain for a while now, and I'm happy to have found something to spur new activity on the bike shoes.
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In other news, I've had a delay with the hardware for the small leather goods, so I can't finish them up before I go out of town for family stuff. Final assembly will happen Monday and Tuesday, and I'll be listing things on my Etsy site in the evenings as they are finished.

I will be doing a new style of single key fob, as well as the old ones, but in new leathers. I am introducing two wallet styles - one is a chain style with the double looped fob, and the other is something to put in your pocket or bag and can be outfitted with a grommet for a chain if desired. Here is a shot of the prototype chain wallet with fob:

... and here's my little assembly line:


So that is all for now. I'll definitely put up a post when I get the Etsy listings up and running, but I also have had some things on my mind that I'm pulling together. They're related to current projects and I'd like to get some feedback on them, so I'm going to put some of them to text while I'm on the train.

Organizing the Studio, Organizing the Blog!

I am still tweaking it and deciding what is going to stay on the about me page, but check it out. I've made an entry that talks about the kind of projects I am particularly keen to work on.

I've created a new page describing my three primary last styles. All of my lasts are available for doing custom work, including ones not showcased on my lasts page.

I may have mentioned that I wanted to build a new cutting table and possibly a divider wall? Well, as a birthday present, I was able to purchase the materials - yes! Consequently, the studio was shut down for a couple weeks(!) while I was building. I'm still cleaning (oh, the dust!) and organizing, but it is really very cool that I'm finally able to give things a proper home.

This is the new cutting table - it is very much overbuilt, but I can really heap abuse on my studio furnishings, so this is a good thing. It has a very large shelf underneath that will someday have drawers to protect rolled up leather:

Two of the legs have heavy duty casters so I can move it wheelbarrow style:


These are not the most brilliant of pictures, since the quarters are close, but I built a dividing wall to separate the "clean" from "messy" areas of the studio. One side is paneled with smooth white paneling that works as a white board to take notes on:


And on the back side, it is paneled with peg board to hang my tools over my shoemaking bench:


While the inevitable scrapes and bruises are healing, I'm putting everything away and creating task areas, such as a dedicated dye/airbrush station for working on my custom dyed pieces.

Along with everything else, the small leather goods were put on hold during the building, but I did pick up a fantastic piece of leather from Horween - it was a splurge, but it will make some really nice pieces.

This coming month is turning into a really busy time! There's some really exciting stuff I should be able to announce soon, plus I should have a few more items on Etsy soon, so keep an eye out.

Gunton Lasts, Items For sale and others

I have a few pairs of shoes in progress on my Gunton last, which has given me an opportunity to analyze them in relation to multiple feet - all different sizes, but still useful information. Through this, I think I'm well on my way to resolving it's issues. This picture shows the dismantled lasts with early stages of modification:


These are pretty massive changes, made more complicated by the V-cut hinges. If budget wasn't a concern, I would have liked the opportunity to remake the model from scratch, as every last I make is an improvement on my knowledge and execution of last design.
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At the 3311 Carroll Open Studio Day, I talked to a lot of people about what I'm working on. I think I've finally found one fit model for the new last I've been developing - I still need one or two more!
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Visitors to the studios got to see the leather neckties I make, as well as some necklaces. The listings for them on Etsy expired prior to the the open studios - these are back up and running. These are first run of samples on the new materials, so they are being sold at a lower price of $35 - the next ones will be in the $50-$60 range.

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When I come across interesting shapes and patterns, I like to take pictures for reference and inspiration. Walking around recently, I came across this utility pole - I don't know what I'll do with it yet, but it's neat:

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Since I mentioned it in the last post, I thought I'd share a couple of picture. of the hat I knitted - I'm working on a new one with variations and a different yarn:



I found the pattern on Ravelry - it is designed by these folks.
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Well, I have to go do some work - have a good week!

WIP- Cycling Shoes, continued + lasts!

Update on the cycling shoes- I've made up a fitter on the newly remodeled last- I think I'm pretty happy with it, but tomorrow I'll try it out on one or two of the folks at my bike shop- I should be able to make up a working sample on this last. I'm not exactly looking forward to fixing the mate to this last since it was a pretty dramatic alteration. I'd hold out to be able to have it copied by my last maker- but I'm not feeling that patient!

This morning I got confirmation that my last samples are indeed on their way! I'm pretty ecstatic to see them later this week.

So, expect to see some pictorial updates by the end of the week.

In other news, my neighbors and I are starting to get organized for an open studio day on Halloween - once there are details, I will post.

Last Progress

I talked to my last maker yesterday and he thinks he'll get my samples out today (fingers crossed!). According to his measurements the "Princess" measures quite a bit wider than I calculated - that's why I'm getting samples - at least it's some information I can compare with the process I use.

Also yesterday, I threw a heel stiffener onto the fitter model for the bike shoe last, so I can get a little bit better information off of it. A few of the guys at my bike shop tried it on. The results were interesting and also caused me to reexamine my assessment of the fit on myself.

Today, I experimented with some ideas I had for taking measurements from the foot and the last and apply better information. After fairly extensive reshaping of the last it measures true to a 10D:



This weekend I'll redraft the patterns and make a new fitter. If all goes well, I still need to reshape the mate to this one. Hopefully I'll have some WIP to show off on Monday or Tuesday.

WIP- Cycling Shoes

While I am waiting on the samples of the Gunton and "____" lasts, I've been working a little bit towards progress on an athletic style last. I have a stock last from my last maker that I've heavily modified that I hope is a good candidate for the cycling shoes I've been poking and prodding at on a very irregular basis. This quick fit model shows promise and I can start on a new working prototype:



This is just some of the first steps for fit which must be verified before investing in more expensive materials and techniques (composites and clipless pedal systems).

I am also experimenting with getting information from an existing pair of shoes that I felt fit me pretty good- this I can use as a base-line for original lasts, since fit can be an ephemeral goal sometimes.

WIP- last making, continued

On Friday I finished the new flat last model, as well as finally putting some work into correcting some issues with the Gunton last. They are both on their way to my last-maker to get sample pairs turned- once I figure out how many sizes I can actually afford to try out (I have one or two people interested in the Gunton, maybe?).






Once again, I'll be hoping for a couple of feet to test the fit of the flat last (size 8 and _?). Fitting is focusing on the flat last, as I hope to do some lightweight slipper/casual shoes that I can produce relatively inexpensively, even as one-offs. The shape of he Gunton really requires heavier leathers and robust constructions that I will have to limit to semi-custom.

I have yet to decide on a name for the flat last- in a rush to pack it up, I named it Princess, but I'm not remotely thrilled with that. I like the idea of using a family name, like with the Gunton - if any family type people actually read this blog, I'm taking suggestions - the more obscure the better?!

Gunton 2007

Lest anyone who hasn't looked at my website (which hasn't been updated in ages) think I only use the Elf last, I thought I would post a pair of shoes I did last spring.

The design is a classic oxford with a button closure. I used a last I started developing for mens or menswear styles- I call it the Gunton, named after my father and grandfather. The last was introduced at the One of A Kind Show and Sale 2006 (!).



I'm really pleased with the color combinations- rust quarters with black galosh and antiqued brass buttons. The upper leathers are locally made here in Chicago, while the lining is a veg-tan of unknown origin.

These are pretty typical of the aesthetic I've been developing over the last few years. If time allows, I'm going to pull together a handstitched shoe on this last.

Erick
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Up next: I'm currently working on a bicycle style shoe, which I'll post some pictures in a few days.