Lisa Sorrell, cowboy boot maker

This is what I’ve been doing today.

I’ve decided to enter Chase’s Mission Main Street grant competition, and I’d appreciate the votes from anyone who’s willing. As a cowboy boot maker I often have difficulty obtaining the products I need. Realizing other boot makers and leather workers have the same issues, I began buying and selling specialty products for the leather industry. I’ve had all sorts of new experiences, like applying for a license from US Fish and Game so I can import kangaroo leather to tracking down a source in China for steel shanks. This grant would enable me add lots of new products.

You can vote once per day and I need 250 votes by June to be eligible to enter the competition. I’m almost there and I’d appreciate your vote!

Mission Main Street Grant/Sorrell Notions and Findings

Paige just finished these pretty shoes for herself. She’s titled this pair “Ursula.”

In cowboy boot making terms, the leather that wraps around the heel is the counter cover and a decorative piece over the counter cover is a countertip. This is a turquoise ostrich counter cover with a chocolate countertip.

Here’s a link to my YouTube video for May.

It’s a Boot Life

I sewed the side seam on this pair of boots this morning and turned them right-side-out. This afternoon I got them on the last and put in the toe boxes. Paige graduates this evening, I have a lot to do, and I really wanted to fling myself to the floor and throw a temper tantrum instead of putting in toe boxes. I am proud to say that the tantrum was unthrown and the toe boxes are in.

Morgan is hard at work making leather strops for me. I provide each student with a strop to use in an inlay/overlay class and when the class is over they beg to keep them. I promised my last class I’d start selling leather strops and green polishing compound to go with them.

Here we have a visual illustration of the importance of stitching. By the way, it takes me about an hour and a half to stitch each panel and there are four of them.

These tops are really complicated and time-consuming to stitch. In their honor I’ve developed a new shop motto for myself: Stop Whining and Do It.