The Academy of Footwear Training I CAN MAKE SHOES is located in the Pill box in East
London. The building, a former pharmaceutical factory, is a hub for creative
start-ups. Amanda opened the academy 10 years ago and teaches a shoe making method
that doesn’t require complicated tools or heavy machinery. Various shoe making courses are offered,
such as a sandal making course or a 10-day course in which a whole collection
is designed and made. Additionally there is a YouTube channel on which different techniques are explained.
I participated in a 3-day course and made pumps with mid height stacked heel. The last I used was a 5D REF 1836 made for the academy. We were trained by three lovely ladies: Amanda, Tessa and Phedre. All are
certified shoe makers and/or fashion designers with a background in fashion
industry.
The steps to a custom pair
of shoes are the following:
First the lasts were covered with masking tape. Good instructions can be found here. The design was drawn on the tape covered last. First mid lines are drawn in the front and at the back, which serve as guides during designing. Thereafter the design can be drawn on the last. The inside of a pattern is best indicated by a v-notch. The tape pattern was cut with a X-acto knife, peeled off the last and laid flat onto an A4 sheet of paper. The top line is sticked down first. Thereafter the tape is flattened out. In curved areas a few snips are added to flatten the pattern. Allowances were added around the 2D pattern. To folding lines, such as top lines, an allowance of 5 mm is added. The lasting allowance along the feather edge is 20-25 mm big. An allowance of 5 mm is added to seams.
*Insoles used are made of cellulose fibre boards. For a higher comfort it is recommended to use high quality insoles. The insole of shoes with heels are additionally reinforced with a shank. The front of insoles and in flats lower density boards are used.First the lasts were covered with masking tape. Good instructions can be found here. The design was drawn on the tape covered last. First mid lines are drawn in the front and at the back, which serve as guides during designing. Thereafter the design can be drawn on the last. The inside of a pattern is best indicated by a v-notch. The tape pattern was cut with a X-acto knife, peeled off the last and laid flat onto an A4 sheet of paper. The top line is sticked down first. Thereafter the tape is flattened out. In curved areas a few snips are added to flatten the pattern. Allowances were added around the 2D pattern. To folding lines, such as top lines, an allowance of 5 mm is added. The lasting allowance along the feather edge is 20-25 mm big. An allowance of 5 mm is added to seams.
The final shoe pattern was cut and
transferred to the leather using a silver pen. Thereafter the leather pieces were cut.
Contact glue was applied along the
fold lines. Edges were folded and glued. After waiting for a about 15 min parts can be stitched together.
Insoles* were placed on lining leather
and traced using a silver pen. An allowance of 10-15 mm was added. The insole cover was cut and contact glue applied to lining and insole. Thereafter the two were
glued together. In this step a layer of memory foam can be added for
cushioning. The allowance was pulled over the edge to the bottom side and folded
in pleads. Thick pleads need to be flattened using scissors, a hammer and/or a
bevel knife. Instructions can be watched here.
The insoles were placed on the bottom
of the last. The upper lining was pulled over the edge. Pleads were created and
evenly distributed. Care has to be given to pull the material into a good
shape. Thereafter the lining was glued to the insole. Good instructions can be
watched here.
Thermoplastic stiffeners were added
in the front and back to stabilise the leather and give the shoe shape. Watch instructions here and here.
Contact glue was applied to the inside of the
upper and on the outside of the lining, where no stiffener was used. It helps to
add rigidity to the unreinforced area. Thereafter the upper was pulled over the
last and glued to the insole. Good instructions are shown here.
Cork filler was applied on the bottom
of the insole to level the bottom part and create a flat surface for the sole.
Watch instructions here.
Also for the sole a pattern has
to be made. Instructions can be watched here. The sole pattern was made by tracing the feather edge on top of an adhesive foil applied to the bottom of the shoe. The pattern was cut and then used as template to cut the sole from thick leather***. The sole was shortened as it ends 1 cm underneath the heel. For a better fit under the heel the sole was tapered and its thickness reduced. Finally the edges of the sole were died for a clean finish. Thereafter
the sole was glued to the shoe with a stronger contact adhesive.
When a heel** is used, it is first covered with leather. Instructions can be watched here. Thereafter the heel was attached to the shoe sole using screws. To cover the screw heads and add a decorative element insole socks with cushioning memory foam were glued onto the insoles.
** A Louis heel is a heel with curve. Straight block heels are called stacked heel.
*** A leather sole is easier to cut with scissors or a X-acto knife than a plastic sole. For a plastic sole often machinery is required.