This
text book is designed to teach the art and craft of handmade shoemaking.
Bespoke shoemaking means that you are making the footwear of whatever type, be it shoes, boots, or sandals, from scratch. That is, taking foot measurements, drawing up the patterns, and making the footwear using materials that you have agreed upon with the customer.
After any intensive learning period such as college, there are still large gaps in the information that is retained and I wrote this book as there was nothing currently available to fill this gap. This manual is designed for students and other interested people, to learn to make shoes by hand, using traditional methods which require very little in the way of machinery.
There has been no text book until now that tells you what to do once the patterns are cut. This one does.
A short biography is here.
Hopefully, using this text book will also allow students to learn at home if accessing a learning institution is not viable. Living in Australia, I am fully aware of the problems of distance when trying to study.
This shoemaking manual runs to 300 pages with 700 images. They are all taken from photos and video footage of me making shoes, so they show the correct positioning for the hands when holding tools and performing tasks.
I have also tried to keep instructions as clear as possible to avoid ambiguity, Some sections of the book have as many images as paragraphs, and this must be useful. Checkout a sample chapter.
Contents of Bespoke Shoemaking.
- Foot Measurement
- Lasts
- Last Building
- Sizes
- Mean Forme Construction
- Basic Styles
- Seam Allowances
- Edge Allowances and Treatments
- Last Standard
- Derby Shoe Design
- Construction
- Tools
- Materials
- Clicking
- Skiving
- Folding
- Closing
- Closing a Derby
- Oxford Shoe Design
- Closing an Oxford
- Insole Preparation
- Lasting
- Trying the Shoe For Fit
- Preparing the Shoe for Soling
- Fitting the Sole
- Finishing the Sole
- Hand Built Leather Heels
- Socks
- Dress Boots
- Court Shoes
- Sandal Insoles
- Sandals, Straps and Lasting
- Sandal Socks
- Platforms
- Wedges
- Heel Blocks
- Covered Heels
- Finishing
- Presentation
- Welt Sewing
- Threads
- Sewing the Welt
- Handsewn Sole
- Blocking/Crimping
- Buckles
- Joggers
What they say about the book.
"I think this book is going to be a very significant text for those interested. It is so thorough, and very clear. It's very easy to follow your instructions and will be invaluable for both intro and experienced shoemakers. I look forward to more! I think your book will be a standard part of any shoe making program at university. It's so comprehensive compared to anything else I've seen. Even after four years of experience, your book will still be an invaluable resource for me, and will fill in gaps in my knowledge and confirm things I am doing right" ... Matt Renna, Shoemaker and leather goods designer.
" This is the most comprehensive shoemaking book I have ever seen. The detailed information and step by step processes are very useful. Well done. There was a real need for this book to be written - Thank you." ... David Stanners - Shoemaker.
"I have taught adult ed shoemaking for lots of years and would really appreciate an up to date book to tell people to buy - it was something I thought about doing myself as I have written and photographed quite a lot over the years but never got to it and so am very pleased someone has" ... Luna Newby, Shoemaker and teacher.
"This will be the standard for the modern shoemaker. I cannot believe the detail. This book is a needed reference for beginning as well as advanced shoemakers. There is a very real need for a 'Hand Shoemaking Manual', which could become the standard text book worldwide. I have been in this business for a few months short of 30 years and would have given anything to have had a book of this caliber to help me learn the craft. I think there is a real need for a complete knowledge book about the construction/assembly of shoes from ground zero. There is nothing out there that really covers every aspect of construction and assembly." ... Larry Waller, Shoemaker and teacher.
"Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I probably don’t need to say any more, there are a few things I do differently but the result is the same." ... Greg Kilgour, Western Bootmaker.
"Anybody who takes the trouble to try to spell out the process of hand shoemaking, to me is either a saint or a little crazy. Perhaps some of each." ... Frank Jones, Footwear lecturer and book publisher.
"Bespoke Shoemaking is a comprehensive and long sought after manual that demystifies the intricacy of the shoe making process." ... TCM Reviews, more here.
There is no other book like Tim Skyrme’s Bespoke Shoemaking. Ditch the apprenticeship with the grumpy old boot maker and set Tim’s wonderful book on your workbench. It is the only concise explanation you will need of all the methods, techniques, and tools required for shoemakers. I’m not sure if I ever would have successfully made shoes without it. Very many thanks to Tim. - Zoé Rios
"I received your book a couple of days ago - wow!" - Leslie M.
"Fantastic book, thank you Tim. Well done on writing what I have been looking for for ages!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!" - Rebecca B.
More Leatherwork Books for sale.
I have added a page of leatherwork books by Ron Edwards, these are simple books explaining how to do a variety of leatherwork projects. Strongly focussing on plaiting and knot tying they also teach saddle making and repair as well as general leather projects.
New! A new page has been added for the pattern cutting book, "Shoe and Boot Designing Manual" by George Koleff. I also carry his books on ugg boot and last making, along with his dvd on last making.
Linking off that is a page of ammendments that I made when using George's Geometric Pattern Cutting Method. Just small things that made the system work better for me.
Announcements.
I have added a list of shoemaking schools worldwide to the Contact page, any school anywhere in the world can be added by emailing me.
Video footage of lasting by hand. Download the free videos I made of myself lasting up.
I am helping out on a boot and shoemaking forum at The Crispin Colloquy. There are others there who can help as well so you can get a more rounded set of answers to questions, and you can also post photos of your creations.
New! Here is a surveythat is being held to see what you as students want in the way of tuition and/help. This may not go anywhere but we need information to see if anything can be set up. No personal information is collected, just ideas being floated.
