Monthly Archives: October 2025

I am pleased to report that I was able to get the lasts out of these boots today!

After I’ve built the heels to the correct height, I add the rubber heel cap. Next I pull the lasts out so I can do the final heel shaping. Or… I try very hard to get the lasts out, fail … Continue reading →

Friday afternoon at my shop I taught a two hour class for ten students and their instructors, from a college costume design course in Oklahoma City. That’s a whole lot of people to try and teach how to cut and … Continue reading →

I can’t stop playing with asymmetry. I love a design that isn’t symmetrical but it is balanced, so that’s always my goal.

One more update from my weekend: Every year since 1993, I’ve attended the Boot and Saddlemakers Roundup in Wichita Falls, Texas. An important part of the event is the boot making competition, where we all create our very best work … Continue reading →

Several years ago — at least fifteen — I learned about the MacArthur Fellowship Genius Grant and it changed my life. My initial goal was (of course) to win it someday, so I began reading about exactly what the qualifications … Continue reading →