Shoe Obsessed

...but it's not what you're thinking!

Remember the handmade shoe I was posting about the other night?

The very shoe in question!

I haven't moved any farther on the manufacture, as the issues I previously mentioned are still bugging me.  The Shoeology patterns I purchased came with a pretty detailed (and photo-laden) set of instructions on how to make them.  Only problem is, she supplies whole and half sizes of the soles, but only whole sizes of the uppers.  Sadly, I wear about a size 5.5 shoe and have fairly narrow feet.  In its first incarnation, I used the 5.5 sole and chose to use the size 5 upper, as they were grouped together in the pattern printouts (as were all the other sizes).  When I sewed these together, the shoe was ridiculously tight fitting from toe to heel, though it fit in width.  In my second attempt, I cut the size 6 upper and sewed it to the existing 5.5 sole.  This resulted in a better fitting shoe, but for two problems:  too much width in the toe box, and too much fabric to go around the toe of the sole.  If you look closely, you can get see the resulting pleating/gathering that occurred at the tip of the shoe.  Probably not something I would wear very often, if at all.  What to do, what to do?  I did a couple of things: first, I hit my fave Assistance League store, looking for a pair of shoes that might help me make a pattern, and/or provide a usable sole (after cutting or peeling away the upper part of the shoe); 

Anyone remember Bass shoes?  Anyone? Anyone?  Beuller?  Beuller?  

then, I went to this web site 

( http://www.breakitdowndesign.com/learn_to_make_shoes_pattern.htm ) and followed their instructions for how to make a pattern based on the measurements of your own feet, not necessarily industry standards.  Might come in handy, as I have a friend who would like handmade shoes for her feet, which are two sizes apart!  

The sole pattern, based on my own measurements.  Looks gigantic. 

And a custom fit, matching upper!

Just for the record, I don't usually buy used shoes.  Can't stand the idea of putting on shoes that someone else has worn, it just gives me the willies.  I figured that A) I could copy the pattern for the existing upper, since it fit fairly well, and B) I could then take the entire shoe apart and use the sole for a handmade pair.  Try getting a custom made sole done for $2!  If either A or B doesn't work, I haven't lost much.  

I think that somewhere between the Shoeology patterns, the Bass shoes, and the design-your-own-shoe-pattern site, I might actually come up with a workable pattern I can use over and over.  Looking forward to posting the work-in-progress soon! 

And of course, while at the A.L., I found several garments I'm planning to use for a challenge issued by Stampington's Altered Couture magazine:  refashion a garment a la Marisa Lynch 

( http://www.newdressaday.com/ ), who has become quite the media darling for refashioning a garment every day for an entire year, using a budget of only $1 a day!  Pretty inspiring, if you ask me!  If and when I get that done, I will be sure to post about that as well.  

Cheers!