Author Archives: customboots

Because you can’t blend or fade one color into another with leather inlay/overlay, I decided to attempt a color fade with stitching. The sun is orange and the band next to it is yellow, so I’ve covered the yellow with … Continue reading →

Wingtips and countertips for a future project. Wish me luck–so far I have successfully avoided doing a boot with a White or Bone foot.

I have a pair of boots side-seamed and ready to go on the last. I always choose the last before I cut paper, much less leather, but typically I fit the last immediately too. I’m a little behind on that … Continue reading →

I’m through with all the pattern pieces for “The Little Prince” boot tops and getting ready to put them away. I thought you might enjoy a glimpse of the way I create a pattern, as well as the sweet little … Continue reading →

After an entire week of computer work, I made it back into my studio at 4:40 on Friday and got to work on these tops for a few minutes. As always, I am not pleased with the way they look … Continue reading →

I finally decided to wear my new shoes. They’re comfortable, they feel like cowboy boots, and no one else in the whole world has a pair like them. 

One of the most difficult things to do in leather inlay/overlay is faces and achieving a suitable expression is particularly challenging, especially in the smaller ranges. This little prince has a long way to go before he’s done but I’m … Continue reading →

The Little Prince boot tops are rough-out–that’s the back side of the leather. The back side of this blue wasn’t as clean and unblemished as I might have wished (one tends to choose leather by the grain side) but I … Continue reading →

I enjoy making patterns so much–it is peace and meditation for me. This one was particularly fun and I actually chortled doing the Baobab tree. It’s going to disguise the back seam perfectly. That little tangle of hands and crane … Continue reading →

I’m making progress on the Peyote flower boots. This is a tough design to stitch and I hate it all the way through, but it’s so elegant and beautiful that as soon as it’s stitched I love it again.