I have had these cut and ready to stitch for quite a while...so I figured this would be a good time to finish them up and get them listed :)
The Shoshoni word for shoes, is Nampeh. When the settlers came here, they learned the Algonquian word for shoes, which is Moccasin, because these were the first people they met. The word stuck, and so most people use it now.
To make them I first cut the pattern. These have shearling and a chocolate deertan, and I laminate the sole with Barge...
Next I make the stitching holes. I use a fork and mallet so I don't stress my hands...but this can be done with an awl as well.
Trim off any excess shearling...
I stitch them with two needles using a saddle stitch, or sometimes a lock stitch (which can be done by hand easily).
Then trim down the shearling around the seams. I leave just enough to leave some wool, which helps protect the threads from sand and dirt.
I rarely make these for sale anymore, and cannot take custom orders...but this pair was waiting for me to finish...
