Lisa Sorrell, cowboy boot maker

I finished the soles and built the heels on these today. They’re almost finished!

This is a preliminary, awaiting-approval sketch for a “The Little Prince” pair of boots.

Jay Griffith called this his peyote flower design, and I learned it from him. Jay was loud, and mean, and profane, and sensitive, and had an incredible gift for design.

Freshly stitched soles

Four panels (two fronts, two backs) cut out by hand with an X-Acto knife

I always have personal projects to work on when I’m waiting for something to dry or just need a break from my real work. These pieces will be a pair of shoes for me someday.

I’ve decided that my delight in ensuring every step of the boot making process is precise is not due to some sort of compulsive desire for perfection. It’s laziness. I took a tiny bit of extra time to make it nice and neat at this point so that later when I lay the soles, there will be a defined and smooth place for them to go. Putting on the soles will be easy and there won’t be ugly gaps or spots where they don’t want to stick.

The first one said, “No, I don’t want to go on the last today. NO, you can’t make me! NO, STOP TRYING TO PUT ME ON THE LAST! OK, fine, but I hate you!”
And the second one said, “Yes ma’am, I’d love to go on the last today and I think you’re pretty!”
In related news, someone asked me once how I coped with working alone. My answer was, “Anthropomorphism.”

Sunburst boots are sideseamed and ready to put on the last