My Adventures in (DIY) Shoemaking - Part 21

[shoefan]

Here is a pair of loafers, the first I've made.

Loafers are made on lasts that differ from those for lace-up shoes and boots, so this is the first pair I've made on these lasts. The lasts were made during a visit to the UK, where I've spent time working with a UK lastmaker. The toes on the last are a slightly wide square toe, which is what my lastmaking friend recommended for a loafer last.

These shoes are modeled on an E Green model; the apron and toe seams are hand-sewn with a boar's bristle (like Green do with their Dover and other similar models).

I was pretty pleased with the results, although there are some areas that definitely could stand improvement.

 

[add911_11]

Can we book an appointment?

Seriously I love those high cuban heels...

 

[Jackie Treehorn]

The heel is a little high and dainty for my taste, and I worry that the shoes would be pretty painful to wear for much longer than five hours at a time, especially with any significant walking in the interim.

That being said, the last looks smart, and the construction is getting better and cleaner on your successive efforts. I have appreciated all of your posts on this topic, and will appreciate the more to come. Great stuff!

 

[F. Corbera]

Very nice.

 

[emptym]

Beautiful, particularly the arch. You keep getting better and better.

 

[Xenon]

Very well done! Quite elegant . I liked your previous shoes but you keep on improving

I really like the heels as well-not too dainty for me. Sole pictures if you may please.

How is the last for a loafer different from a laced shoe?

 

[shoefan]



The heel is a little high and dainty for my taste, and I worry that the shoes would be pretty painful to wear for much longer than five hours at a time, especially with any significant walking in the interim.
That being said, the last looks smart, and the construction is getting better and cleaner on your successive efforts. I have appreciated all of your posts on this topic, and will appreciate the more to come. Great stuff!

Thanks. I'm not sure why you feel the shoes would be uncomfortable? If it is due to the heel size, the heel is about the same size as most mens' shoes' heels. My heel is quite narrow, so the narrowness of the heel reflects my foot, and the length of the heel is pretty standard.

Very well done! Quite elegant . I liked your previous shoes but you keep on improving
I really like the heels as well-not too dainty for me. Sole pictures if you may please.
How is the last for a loafer different from a laced shoe?

A loafer last has different measurements than a lace-up last, as well as a different profile along the sides. In terms of the measurements, the last is smaller at the joint and larger at the instep than a lace-up last.

Because it doesn't have lacing to hold the shoe on, and because the opening of the loafer is longer and lower than that of a lace-up, the loafer needs to really 'clip' onto the side of the foot in order to stay in place; as such, the bulges along the sides of last tend to be lower, and above the bulge the last gets narrower faster.

Here is a bottom pic:

 

[facet]

Wow, that is so cool. Well done. How long does it take you to make a pair, on average?

 

[PhiloVance]

Very impressive. The heel does looks higher than "normal" to my eye.

 

[ljrcustom]

Nice. It's been a while since I have seen anything that you are working on.

-LR

 

[cptjeff]

The heel does look quite high. I would also widen the lake (if I'm remembering the term correctly, the part inside the forefoot stitching on a loafer like this) and move the stitching lower, which would also force you to widen the strap.

To be perfectly honest, with the high, narrow heel and narrowness of the lake (which makes the entire forefoot look narrow), it looks like a women's shoe. The construction and finishing are both great as always, but to my eyes, the proportions just look awkward.