Lisa Sorrell, cowboy boot maker

It has been a genuinely frustrating week. Oh well, at least these are boot tops are pretty.

Today I finally got tired of the jumble of rulers on the back of my bench, digging through them to find the one I wanted, and I wanted to organize the templates hanging on the back of my bench also. I have two heavy plastic cutting boards on top of my bench, so I lifted them off, decided where I wanted to place each ruler and template, cut thin strips of heavy leather to use as spacers/stops, hot-glued the leather into place, and laid my cutting boards back down on the leather strips that now form neat little cubbyholes for each item.

I would be so confused by Art that wasn’t created in multiples of four.

I’m having a Black Friday sale too! Today only, my 2019 calendar and my Cowboy Boot Poster will be sold with free shipping. (US only) www.sorrell.shop

All of the pieces for this boot top design are cut out by hand and then skived by hand. No, I can’t buy punches or dies for the designs, because clients are all different sizes and I like to allow a design to evolve each time I make it. No, I can’t use a skiving machine because these pieces are too fine and oddly-shaped, and I often cut little holes into a piece, creating places a machine couldn’t reach. This boot has two front panels and two back panels, all featuring the same design, so accuracy is required.

Introducing: “Your Cheatin’ Heart”

Introducing: “Don’t Give Your Heart to a Rambler”

I’m coming down the home stretch on this pair.

The lasts came out of both pairs of these boots quickly and easily, which is something I can’t always say. Now I need to finish the heels and I can go home. Tomorrow I’ll take the final “formal portraits” and then mail them to the new owners.