Harris Tweed Rope Soled Slippers

The Harris Tweed is hand woven in the Outer Hebrides. The Rope Soled Slippers are hand made in West Wales.

It's been some time since I made a pair of my Rope Soled Slippers, they have taken me ages to make. Working out where to cut the pattern for the Vamps and Quarters, trying to match both patterns, mounting them on brown kid leather, then lined again with Hazelnut suede.

Plaiting the 200 yards of Jute twine into two 6ft lengths and working out the plans to make a size 7 pair of rope soles, came surprising easily, but blind sewing the Uppers to the rope soles was difficult because I could not see where the holes were in the nap of the Harris Tweed.

It took a Friday and a whole weekend to finish making the soles and sewing them onto the Harris Tweed Uppers.

I've made a few unedited movies of the process, but now is the time to post them to my client, a retired GP that only just bought his second pair of shoes.

And it was time to do the Still Life photograph, pack them, write the Invoice and post them Special delivery........................

 

It's going to be difficult to let go of these slippers....

 

They were difficult to make............and took many hours to create.

They are beautiful.....Art.

I sign and date every pair........

 

Are my Shoes, Shandals and Rope Soled Slippers a Craft or an Art?

I live the life of an artist and have done for over 30 years.

I am a Shoemaker, so when it comes to my handmade leather soled Shoes and Shandals I would call myself a Maker. And at best, a healer through the medium of my shoes and my Shandals, especially the Lace- up Shandals.

But when it comes to my Rope Soled Slippers I call myself an Artist.

I made my first experimental pair for myself, in 1976.

So these Harris Tweed Rope Soled Slippers are the pinnacle of 40 years making.

And although they are made to be worn, (Worn barefoot they should become superbly comfortable as the retired GP's feet embed into the soft leather and rope soles.) I feel they deserve to be exhibited pristine in a gallery.

Or in a Shoe Collectors...... collection.

My Rope Soled Slippers are collectible.

So too my Shandals, which I regard as perhaps the most significant Shoe Design ever designed. A breakthrough in thinking, a breakthrough in their healing properties. See my Shandals Empower Women ad.

www.flickr.com/photos/22260792@N02/11719578794

 

At nearly 71 years of age my Rope Soled Slippers are limited.

And although I am letting them go for £665, the next pair will be considerably more.

 

 

 

 

Done