Nicholas Templeman: A Bespoke Shoemaker

[diadem]

^ awestruck by those.

 

[usctrojans31]

I wish this site allowed me to give infinite thumbs.

 

[Punt]



You are a very very talented guy! Wow!

 

[dieworkwear]

Possibly of interest to future Templeman customers? Nicholas was nice enough to make some sample aprons for me when I couldn't decide on what to get for a pair of NSTs. I shot some photos to solicit some opinions from friends, but then decided to post them in here in case anyone in the future found them helpful.

Included is a "pie crust"/ split-and-lift apron, as you would find on Edward Green. Then there's Nicholas' braided apron -- one where the braid is on both sides, and another where there's a braid only on one side (for a more understated look)

 

[ntempleman]

Thanks for putting those up. And an inverted pie crust, no less!

 

[SoGent]

Forgot to plop these in here too, didn't I.

geesh that's some great work

 

[venividivicibj]

Included is a "pie crust"/ split-and-lift apron, as you would find on Edward Green. Then there's Nicholas' braided apron -- one where the braid is on both sides, and another where there's a braid only on one side (for a more understated look)

Which did you end up going with?

 

[dieworkwear]



Which did you end up going with?

Actually still to be determined, but I promised Nicholas I would settle on a style by Wednesday. I'm leaning towards a simpler design though, so no braiding.

Here's something that might also be helpful to future customers -- a drawing Nicholas sent to me of various hand stitching techniques for aprons. More options here than what's pictured above. I'm between the raised lake on the upper left hand corner and the "pie crust"/ split and lift apron, like you'd see on Edward Greens.

 

[bengal-stripe]



Here's something that might also be helpful to future customers -- a drawing Nicholas sent to me of various hand stitching techniques for aprons.

The underside of the 'flat seam' ('this side for split toe') is also known in the forum here as 'Frankenstitch'.

 

[Zapasman]

Is the Pie Crust the most difficult to execute out of the 3 techniques?. I really like it.

Excellent info and pics. Thanks you both.

 

[venividivicibj]

Actually still to be determined, but I promised Nicholas I would settle on a style by Wednesday. I'm leaning towards a simpler design though, so no braiding.

Here's something that might also be helpful to future customers -- a drawing Nicholas sent to me of various hand stitching techniques for aprons. More options here than what's pictured above. I'm between the raised lake on the upper left hand corner and the "pie crust"/ split and lift apron, like you'd see on Edward Greens.

Got something like this for my black plaintoes - from Meccariello - he said it was related to the pie crust/'infra carne' in italian but slightly different (I don't know how)



His wife doing the sewing

 

[Zapasman]

^That one seems to be ornamentally stitched like figure nº1 (no stabbed).

Nicholas, what is the difference between figures 2 (split raised lake) and 5 (raised lake different leathers)?. Do you use the toe skin stitched/round close technique as well?.

Excellent work, thanks.

 

[ntempleman]

That Meccariello stitch is essentially a flat seam/skin stitch without the seam - only going halfway through the leather, and puckering up slightly when the threads are tightened, but not as puckered as a raised lake a la fig.a. Highly Technical Diagram incoming:

The split raised lake is where the whole vamp is one piece, lake and sides, and you gently score your knife around the centre of the raised area for decoration. No different to the one next to it, technically. The one from two different leathers is used for things like the pie crust; for styles that necessitate a seperate lake (longer tongues for boots or wholecut derbies); or if you want to get all fancy with contrasting leathers.

Pie crust and flat seam are the fiddliest I guess, anything where you have to get the awl to come out the middle of a cut edge of 1.2mm leather repeatedly is going to be a bit scary. Different approaches are required for each, you can use a saddlers clam for a raised lake if you like, but for a flat seam you need a curved surface and a variety of straps and clamping devices to help you get the angle right. Some people use a milk bottle glued to a plate to hold the leather on, some others prefer a different shape like a glenfiddich bottle or something. Depends what whisky you like essentially.

 

[Zapasman]

Thanks again, very instructive.

 

[venividivicibj]

Highly Technical Diagram incoming: