The first two photos show me skiving the tiny little triangle in the middle of the A. It’s such a small piece I can’t hold it with my finger, so I use the tip of the awl to hold it down as I skive. I *could* cut the triangle out of the yellow A and put black behind, but then I’d have to stitch around the triangle. If I take the time to carefully put the little triangle back in, I’m stitching directly on it with black thread so it looks like the rest of the letters. This is important to me.

Third photo shows the completed, stitched letters. Remind me to stop doing designs with lots of little letters.

Final photo is the completed shoe quarters and the red alligator I’ll use for the vamps. I am always annoyed that I’m unable to achieve photo realism on their little faces using the medium of leather and stitching. I understand it’s not possible but I’m still annoyed. Remind me to stop doing tiny faces.

Also, obviously I’ll eventually make another “Satan Is Real” boot or shoe with more minuscule letters and teeny faces, just as soon as I forget how annoyed I am.