Making and turning. The process of making a Windsor chair in the course I was in was literally from greenwood: we split or reeved timber lengths from Tasmanian Blackwood logs. These were the first and primary pieces that we worked, and they would form the legs and stretchers of the Read more…
I have wanted to make a chair for some time. And, when I say sometime, I suspect it’s been lurking as a potential project since I was very young. The reason I say this is that when I was young, I used to go to exhibitions and a few other things with my father…
Day six was the final day, and it was mostly about attaching the sole to the shoe. In this case this was to be a glueing job, with the odd nail thrown in for good measure. Glue is one of those technologies that has improved over the years to the Read more…
Today was all about lasting. With some new grips to come to grips with, and some weird interactions with objects, tools, and limbs. And skin.
Day four was a morning of sewing. It took a bit of getting used to, and I wasn’t always as competent or comfortable using this machine as I was using some of the tools.
Day three was a continuation of preparing the pieces and components of the shoe, and coming to grips with tools, and for the first time, some machines. Sewing machines mainly. Plus brogueing. To fit together, the pieces of leather need to be cut with allowance for sewing; small extra edges Read more…
Okay, so day two was all about finishing the patterns, and then cutting. Lots of cutting. Basically all day cutting. So it was also about the tools. The original tool I worked with was a craft scalpel with a disposal blade. Which was fine, but didn’t quite feel right in Read more…
So this is all happening because of a chance bit of searching on the basis of finding something old, namely, some boots I had made years ago. These were made by Sue Engels of Something Shoetable, which at the time was based in Upper Cuba street, Wellington. There were various Read more…