Construction Process IV

 Preparing the lower shoe part

After the inner leather sole has dried out from gluing you can move on to the next step which is marking first and then stitching the whole lower leather part with the crepe sole.

As mentioned in previous posts this is a difficult part and requires lot of patience and finger ... endurance.

The tools you will need for this job are:

• Dividers
• Prinking/Marking tool
• Awl
• Stitching Pony
• Saddler's needles
• Linen Thread (or nylon if you prefer)
• Thread's wax
• A pair of thread's scissors

On the prinking/Marking tool choose accordingly the wheel.  I have chosen from the 4 wheels provided the one that marks the most apart.  Sparse stitches for me are the best here for two reasons.  One and the main reason is to finish and feel your fingers at the end comfortably and second because there is no need to have dense stitches on a crepe sole.

First use the dividers to a logical but not very wide spaced apart opening so to mark round the leather inner sole where the stitches will be made.  Opening too much the dividers and the stitches will not hold well the crepe sole.  Too little and you will risk tearing the crepe sole when later on force is applied while walking the shoes.  I have chosen the opening to be roughly between 5mm to 10mm.  I suppose it depends on the crepe thickness.  Mine as mentioned is 4mm thick.

After this step a rubber sole of thickness of 1.8mm will be glued below the crepe sole so to protect the underneath exposed stitches.  In theory this will be the replaceable part of the shoe when worn out.

Use the pricking/marking tool and slowly go round the marked inner leather sole.  If needed you can relocate the whole lower part of the shoe while marking but be sure to place the wheel needles on the same marking/spot you have stopped before relocating.  Ideally you can relocate without having to rise from the leather surface the tool.

Then you are ready for the big part of the project.

Stitching the Crepe sole

First you have to thread the needles.  Use two of them for this type of stitching.  Both of them is good to be of a saddler's type needles.  Those ones are not sharp in their tip plus the eye is small enough that does not entangle when passed through the crepe sole.  And strong enough that they don't bend easily.

I use linen thread for this project.  One could use nylon thread but I found out to be very difficult to work with plus when waxing the linen thread it works pretty well strength-wise plus it produces a much more pleasing result aesthetically.

After or before threading the needles it is a must to wax the thread.

First of all cutting the thread at a proper length.  I cut for this application about 2.5m of thread.  And I was just right!  But even if you left short of thread there are guides in other sites how to continue from there on.

Working with a a long thread from start haw its disadvantages though.  It takes more time to pass the thread from side to side all the way through.  At the same time you have to twist a longer thread as you stitch.  Doing it so with a shorter thread is easier but still twisting must take place otherwise the thread tangles.  Twisting takes place at the same time for both sides as you stitch and pull the threads on the one side clockwise and on the other side anticlockwise.  Which side twists on which direction is up to you to find out.

Waxing the thread as you go along stitching might be needed.  It depends from the type of thread and the wax used.  On my first left shoe I did not have the proper wax and I had to use it more than once during stitching.  Especially with the crepe sole.  This wax that I use now for the right shoe is designed for this purpose so it stays more on the thread.  Proper wax for threads contains animal fat within the bee's wax.

Stitching technique

I prefer to use the awl always on my right hand.  I put the stitching pony between my legs while sited and place the leather inner sole side on my right and clamp it.  The holes to be stitched should be just above the jaws of the clamp for stability.  I prefer to witch from my point of view and outwards.  You should move the stitching piece accordingly as you run out of marked holes moving it inwards and exposing to the jaws of the clamp new ones to be stitched.

Starting the first stitch use the awl to force through both the lower leather parts (inner sole and lower leather part of the shoe) as well as the crepe sole.  Crepe presents a lot of resistance so be prepared for that.  Be careful while passing on the other side as the awl tends to run though freely after a certain point passing through.  At this point use one of the needles (the one on your left) and as you let back the awl to disengage form the complex you force the needle from the left side to get through the same path the awl came in.  It does not work each and every time.  Some times the hole closes or the needle follows another path through the crepe sole and so you have to repeat the process.  You must make sure that you follow the marks made previously with the prinking/marking tool.  This ensures even stitches and the result is more pleasing to the eye at the end.

Because the inner sole might not be blued exactly so it might not follow the trace or the crepe below, you have to be aware of that and sometimes insert the awl not vertically but at an angle to ensure even results on the crepe sole on the left side as well.  It is not crucial aesthetically as it will later be covered with the rubber sole but for better support and structure reasons.

Pull the thread from left to right almost till the end.  Do not forget to twist the thread clockwise or anticlockwise so to have a single loop waiting for the right needle on your left.

Then insert the other needle from right to left.  It will not need the awl any more.  The hole stays thera as the thread guides the needle now.  Be careful here not to pass the needle through the existing thread.

When you are half through take the upper part or the thread making the right loop and make a pass anticlockwise on the left half passed needle.  That is to make the needle pass inside the left loop.  Do that each and every time and you will end up with the same result on each stitch.

Pass through the thread from right to left again twisting it clock or anticlockwise so not to entangle.

Pull both threads to secure and tighten the stitch.  Usually you will be able to tighten both the previous stitch too but not further back, so tighten your stitches each time.  There is no need to use too much force.  Just enough.

Again there are several tutorials on the net on how to stitch leather.

Be ware that this process takes time.  It takes a lot of your energy too.  Mental and somehow physical.  Your fingers will end up aching too for sure.  On my first left pair of show I had used the wrong type of needles and it took ages for completing it plus I had to use the pliers for each pass as using only my hands was almost impossible to pass through those needles.  In this right pair I have ordered saddler's needles which made the process more pleasing and faster as well.

Note that at this point I have realised that I have not pierced round the lower leather part!  It should have been done just after the gluing of the reindeer leather and sheep lining has finished drying out.  I forgot this step and probably will show at the end result badly!