Bespoke Shoemaking

Women's Fitted Soles: Louis Heels

Women’s fashion shoes with higher heels generally have pre-made, thin, flexible, leather or resin rubber fitted soles, made using the bottom pattern created from the last. Two shapes of sole are made this way, one for a Louis heel, and the other for a Knock-on type.

After the bottom pattern is traced onto a new piece of paper, mark centre points in the seat and the waist as well.

Join these two points to make a line running straight down the centre of the waist. This line does not run down the centre of the forepart, and if it does, it is incorrect.

Place the seat of the heel block to be used onto the back line of the bottom pattern, and mark the front edge of the block.

Discard the block and make marks 3mm/1/8" towards the toe of the sole from these marks. The centre line is so that the heel can be positioned correctly, facing down the centre line, not lined up facing the toe.

Cut out a slot from a piece of paper and put masking tape over it, and then stick it to the heel breast and make a pattern of this.

Lay the front of this pattern up to the 3mm/1/8" marks that were previously made, and draw around the edges and bottom.

The centre of the heel breast pattern must lie on an extension of the line that runs down the waist. If this pattern is off to one side, just move it to the correct position. Use the centre line for reference, not the heel block.

At the tip of the heel breast pattern, add a small tab about 10mm/7/16" long. This only needs to be 3mm/1/8"-4mm/3/16" wide at the most, because it is just to wrap over the top of the heel block before the top piece is applied. It serves to hold the bottom of the sole in place so it cannot come loose from the heel if it gets caught in wear. You can omit this if you want.

 

At the toe of the bottom pattern, add the thickness of the upper, lining and toe puff, which will increase the length of the pattern by approximately 2mm/1/8"-3mm/1/8" depending on the material being used.

Keep the same thickness round the tip of the toe and taper it off in the area that was skived on the toe puff. This sole should not stick out past the edge of the upper unless it has been designed that way.

 

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