Jun. 28, 2016 | Posted in Reports, Shoemaking , Student Reporter | Tags:John Shepherd, ShoemakingReporter: John Shepherd | Course: Shoemaking

Shoe Making 6-Summer Course 2016

My Sixth Week

After many drawings of lasts from different angles, I started drawing shoes. My theme was ghillie shoes, using loops for the lacing. After drawing a few styles, i worked on shading and colouring the drawings.

Along with the design class, I spent as much time as possible working on my shoes in the shoemaking workshop. The welts were sewn, the insole was filled and levelled, leather soles were attached and hand-stitched, and finally, the heels were built and the soles and heels were shaped and polished. The shoes were finished with no time to spare, late on Friday afternoon.

The shoes fit and feel very comfortable!

Thank you to all the people and students at Academia Riaci! My time at the school was very rewarding, and I will drop by to visit the next time I am in Florence.

In the Shoe Design class, after drawing the lasts, we started designing shoes. Here you see a sandal with silk ribbon ties.

A ghillie shoe is characterized by loops instead of holes for the lacing. The traditional ghillie is a Scottish or Irish dancing shoe. I’m exploring the use of loops in various shoe styles.

Sewing the welt on the oxford shoes

The welt is sewn around the perimeter of the shoe. It binds the upper to the insole, and it is also used to sew the sole to the shoe.

The Arno River at dusk. The river divides old Florence, and in the evening, it is a beautiful walk along the banks.

After the welts are attached, the bottom of the insole is filled with a shank, a leather cover on the back and cork on the front of the shoe. You now have a level base to attached the sole.

Shading and colouring helps bring the drawing to life.

Another shoe style using the ghillie theme.

Masa is one of the assistant instructors. Here he is demonstrating how to close the channel where the sole is stitched to the welt.

The soles and heels have been shaped, dyed and waxed. The next step is to remove the lasts, apply more polish, and add the laces.

The shoes are finished, and so is my time at Academia Riaci. I’m wearing them for the first time as I’m about to board a flight at the Florence airport.