Lisa Sorrell, cowboy boot maker

I received this lovely note today from the new owner of these boots: “We just got back to Houston and my boots were waiting for me. They are stunning in person and they fit beautifully. Thank you so much for these amazing works of art! I am proud to be their owner!!”

Cowboy boots typically have half of the sole natural and half black or brown. I’m using a refillable marker to dye the brown right at the line because these markers won’t allow the dye to bleed like a dauber will.

I’ve applied dye and bottom stain to the appropriate parts; while they’re drying on this one I’ll do the same on the other boot.

I’ve applied burnishing ink over the brown dye and added another coat of bottom stain.

Now they’re all polished and pretty, and ready for me to start building the heels tomorrow!

These are the boots that won a Gold Medal and trophy at a shoemaking competition in the Netherlands. I rarely ever get to make blue boots so when I do I try to choose a title with the word blue in it. I’ve named these “Invitation to the Blues.”

My apprentice Brittney asked me what the plaque said and I told her it read “Lisa Sorrell is the best boot maker ever!” From the look on her face I don’t think she believed me.

Today I prepared a pair of boots for inseaming…

…and inseamed them. It’s my favorite thing to do when I’m alone in the shop. I had the music on and sang the afternoon away.