Shoes evolved as a piece of footwear primarily used to protect human feet and now is also used as an item of fashion and decoration. The earliest shoes made by man from around 8000 to 7000 BC were located at Oregon in USA around 1938. However, leather the most commonly used material used for making shoes does not last for hundreds of years, so in all probability shoes were in use long before this. Scientists presume shoes were being used as far long ago as 25,00 to 40,000 years ago based on the fact that the thickness of the bones of our toes decreased during this period. This is caused by wearing shoes as it decreases bone growth. In this article we will learn how to make our own shoes at home.
Step I:
Pick a shoe design. Take your time and dissect old shoes to learn how they are made and design. Pick up a pencil and paper and draw sketches of how you would like your shoes to look. You should know how your finished product will look like before you start making shoes. While designing consider the shape and size of the shoe. Also take into consideration the materials you have available to make your shoes.
Step II:
Always start making the shoe with the sole. Use materials like leather or rubber for maximum comfort. You could alternatively use soles from your old shoes. You could also go and buy yourself sloes easily found at thrift stores. While cutting out soles use the same shoe as a reference and cut out a pair of soles, so then you can use the second one reversed for the other foot.
Step III:
Now its time to construct the upper part of your shoe. This step is relative to what kind design you have in mind for your shoe. You can make anything, from a sandal to a boot or athletic shoes or even just some basic loafers. Usually a shoe is made with the help of a shoe last (ie a sort of mold made of wood). Extend a shoe last to proportional to the size of the shoe you intend to make. Cover the wooden last in cloth or plastic and secure it in such a way that it does not budge or move at all. Now cover the whole thing in masking tape. Use a short strip of tape at a time till the entire wooden last is covered up in at least 2-3 layers of masking tape. Now take a sharp knife and run it along the bottom of the last to remove the pattern set by the masking tape. Trip the shoe pattern a little more so that its flat. Thats it, you just created your first shoe pattern.
Now take some canvas, leather or fabric and cut out two patters based on the pattern of your masking tape. Flip over the pattern so you have both left and right shoe patters. Once done attach this fabric to your sole with some shoe cement, shoe staples or shoe nails depending on your choice or availability.
Step IV:
Add new insoles. These can be got at any shoe store. Find ones comfortable for your feet which fit your shoe perfectly. Use some shoe cement and attach the shoe insoles inside your shoe.
Step V:
Make some holes in your new shoes for laces. Use a shoe hole punching machine and punch out around 5-7 holes on each side of the upper flaps. Line them up perfectly. Thread in some new laces and you shoes are ready. Congratulations now you can show off your own homemade custom shoes, or even make a few more to make unique gifts for friends and relatives.
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