Peter Feeney custom shoes, part 3: cutting and stitching

[This is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a pair of custom shoes. Click here to read part 1: measuring and part 2: designing]

pfeeney-3-outline

Making custom shoes, like most custom clothes, is a long process. It can take anywhere from three months to over a year, depending on many factors. Some you can control, like personal schedules but others, like leather supply, you cannot. I have been waiting some time for my Peter Feeney shoes, but as they come together, that longing is replaced by pure excitement.

A few weeks ago I stopped by Peter’s workshop to witness the cutting of the leather for the uppers. In my last post, I talked about the design of the shoes. But this is where it all starts to come together, quite literally. Those designs were turned into a paper pattern, which was then used to cut the various shapes out of the leather.

pfeeney-3-master

Peter and his instructor.

Cutting was a fascinating process to witness because it is not as straightforward as you might expect. Most importantly, Peter must find a section of leather that is relatively free of blemishes. Also, what the leather will have to endure – stitching and stretching over the last – have to be taken into consideration. There was a fair amount of pulling and testing before it was cut.

There was also a last minute change to my last. Even though the lasts match the dimensions of my feet, things change as we walk. I’ve noticed recently that while my left foot keeps its shape, my right toes really splay out when I walk. The extra width Peter added should mean the fore part of the shoe isn’t tight.

pfeeney-3-lasts

Shortly after my visit, Peter sanded down those leather additions on the lasts, to smooth out the edges. He also had the uppers stitched, combining the lining with the different sections of the leather – the main part of the vamp (yellowish leather), the facing (the suede part where the laces will go) and what you can barely see, a suede bit up the back. The next process, which I wasn’t there to witness (this really would take forever if Peter had to wait for me and my camera every single time he had to work on my shoes). That’s where he actually mounts the insole and uppers on the last, followed by welting on the outsole.

pfeeney-3-uppers

And here is a sneak preview of the shoes Peter just sent my way. This gives you a very good idea of what the shoe will look like, at least shape-wise. The biggest change from this stage to completion – in addition to trimming the lining that you can see poking out and proper laces – is a darker brown patina Peter will add to the vamp. I like Peter’s shoes because while classic and elegant, they are also substantial and have some weight to them.

shoe-mounted

[The shoes are now complete, click here to see how they turned out]