My shoes are finished. **Happy Shoe Dance**
Mr. Foxe offered me advice on lacing them yesterday. He suggested poking 2 holes in each latch and lacing through them. This doesn't prevent using buckles later like folding the latches back & stitching them down. After seeing it in pictures, I had to try it.
Now poking holes in leather is not easy. If you are going to do this, don't get lazy and say "oh, this tool will work fine. I don't need to go digging in the basement for the leather tools" because if you do that, it will take longer to make the holes than finding the proper tools would have. After much convincing I ended up with 8 holes, actually 10 (oops) but that makes them look like they have been worn & adjusted. interestingly the extra holes are in my larger foot, I was too generous with the adjustment between the two.
I dug out a scrap of thin ribbon from the ribbon bin & laced them up. The trick is that there are 2 holes in each latch. The ribbon goes through both holes in the bottom, up through the top like a big "U". Then the ribbon is tied together. Very easy & very simple. It was harder to get a decent picture of my own feet, one that doesn't make them look like they bend outward funny.
Now, when the lot of random silk ribbons I ordered arrives I'll dig through and find a nice big fat ribbon & tie a good bow on these. Something nice & floppy like in the Cries. Little random details like that is the reason I got that box of ribbons. You can never have enough scrap ribbon around for projects.
The more I wear these shoes, the more comfortable they become. I haven't even added a padded insole like Rats suggested. Although I did need a pad in the heel to take up the extra space. That's the trouble with having woman's feet & fitting into men's shoes. I couldn't go to a smaller size and still have toe room but the heel area is much wider than mine are. The pad helps, as does wearing an extra sock underneath my smaller foot. Since I do that a lot in mundane shoes as well, it's not a surprise. I have also stopped slipping around as the heel & soles have gotten nice & scuffed. These might actually turn out to be some of my favorite shoes right now.
Mr. Foxe offered me advice on lacing them yesterday. He suggested poking 2 holes in each latch and lacing through them. This doesn't prevent using buckles later like folding the latches back & stitching them down. After seeing it in pictures, I had to try it.
Now poking holes in leather is not easy. If you are going to do this, don't get lazy and say "oh, this tool will work fine. I don't need to go digging in the basement for the leather tools" because if you do that, it will take longer to make the holes than finding the proper tools would have. After much convincing I ended up with 8 holes, actually 10 (oops) but that makes them look like they have been worn & adjusted. interestingly the extra holes are in my larger foot, I was too generous with the adjustment between the two.
I dug out a scrap of thin ribbon from the ribbon bin & laced them up. The trick is that there are 2 holes in each latch. The ribbon goes through both holes in the bottom, up through the top like a big "U". Then the ribbon is tied together. Very easy & very simple. It was harder to get a decent picture of my own feet, one that doesn't make them look like they bend outward funny.
Now, when the lot of random silk ribbons I ordered arrives I'll dig through and find a nice big fat ribbon & tie a good bow on these. Something nice & floppy like in the Cries. Little random details like that is the reason I got that box of ribbons. You can never have enough scrap ribbon around for projects.
The more I wear these shoes, the more comfortable they become. I haven't even added a padded insole like Rats suggested. Although I did need a pad in the heel to take up the extra space. That's the trouble with having woman's feet & fitting into men's shoes. I couldn't go to a smaller size and still have toe room but the heel area is much wider than mine are. The pad helps, as does wearing an extra sock underneath my smaller foot. Since I do that a lot in mundane shoes as well, it's not a surprise. I have also stopped slipping around as the heel & soles have gotten nice & scuffed. These might actually turn out to be some of my favorite shoes right now.
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