Lisa Sorrell, cowboy boot maker

I visited a friend this evening and saw an old pair of my boots in his collection. I made these for myself a long time ago and eventually gave them to him for display because he’s a boot collector. I’ve only made this design the one time.

I was definitely praying the Boot Maker’s Prayer (Please match, please match!) on these. I lasted them once and wasn’t happy so I took them both off and tried again. The second time was satisfactory and I’m glad because it’s after 5pm and I’m tired and hungry.

Sewing the pull into the side seam is a pain, but the good news is that once the side seam is done I don’t have to go back and sew in the pull! Also, I love the way it looks with no stitching on the outside messing up my design.

There always must be a few recalcitrant ones but overall it’s a decent job of pegging a cowboy boot sole.

Vintage 000 Pegging Hammer, Pegging Haft with 40mm Pegging Awl, rubber bumper at the base of awl to help it bounce back out of the leather, 6/11 wooden pegs, #5 Stitch Marker used for spacing

I have one pair turned and the pulls sewn on. I sew the side seams with the right sides together so the boots are inside-out, next I sew the pulls on, and then I turn them right-side-out and now they begin to look like boots!

I like this stage, when I don’t have so many loose pieces and they begin to take the shape of boots.

Most stitching bores me but I could sew designs like this one all day. I love the long stitching tails that add interest and break up the blank spaces. It’s kind of boring in just black and white with large unused areas though, right?

Surprise! There are big red flowers in the empty spaces!

I firmly believe one should give generously and without expectation of reward just because that makes you a better person. It builds good character, as my dad used to say.

But having said that… look what I received in the mail today! Once in a while casting your bread upon the waters yields chocolate instead of soggy bread.

Introducing my “Satan is Real” shoes with a bonus mini portrait of Ira and Charlie. These shoes are *mine*. I know they’re an odd little thing to put out into the world but I love them, because I’ve heard and lived these words.

“A prayer was led by an old country preacher

Who then raised his hands as everyone stood and sang

‘My God is real’

A warm breeze through the open windows

Brought in the smell of new mown hay in a nearby field

And the singing of birds could be heard in the moment of silence”

Other than the perpetual worry that I’ve gotten it in the wrong place, wingtips are one of my favorite things. And this… this is an absolutely beeeyooootiful wingtip!