Lisa Sorrell, cowboy boot maker

The August episode of “It’s a Boot Life” is on YouTube.

It’s a Boot Life

If you’re a boot or shoemaker and you’ve been curious about the Baker Leather, now is a good time to try it. Thanks to Brexit, the prices have come down on almost everything. Plus, everything that sells is one more thing I won’t have to put away. 🙂

www.sorrellnotionsandfindings.com

The last time I posted a photo of these boots I said that they were “ready to be inseamed.” Inseaming is sewing on the welt–that narrow strip of leather going around the toe–and in my shop it’s done by hand, not on a machine. The boot on the left has been inseamed. Can you see that the thread is pink? I did that just for fun; when it’s done properly the thread will never show or be seen again unless the boots are someday torn completely apart to be repaired.

I have the toe boxes in, and the boots are ready to be inseamed.

Here’s a look at how I prepare the lasted boot for the next step. I like things to be neat, even if it’s a part that will never be seen.

I like the corners on this toe style.

I finished all of the black thread stitching on these boot tops. Hurray!

I have two pairs of boots on the last.

Here’s a photo of the last–the form that gives the boot its shape–and one of the boots on the last.

I don’t like this stage, because there are boot pieces all over my bench and it’s messy.

In this photo all of the pieces are together, everything is neat, and they’ll be looking like cowboy boots soon!

It’s really hot in Oklahoma today. You know why I’m so aware of this? It’s because my shop air conditioner has performed its yearly trick of dying in the hottest part of the summer. It’s rather warm in my shop, but as I’m sure my dad would tell me, “It builds good character.” I shall have excellent character by the time it’s fixed!