Closing techniques

[tomo]

Can't find it Alasdair,
but you won't be ble to do as finer stitch or sew as close to the edge as you would with a wheel machine (wheel on top and wheel underneath instead of feed dogs). Even with just a centre foot and one on the left it's like trying to write with a Vivid marker compared to a fountain pen .
The size of your tent and how heavy it is will also determine how big a machine to get. We make a lot of horse covers - some of them from 24oz canvas and it can be seriously hard passing them through the throat of the machine. The machines we use for this are Singer 132K6's Also a Typical with a deep throat, but not as good as the Singer (although it does have reverse). Also when you're trying to sew inside something like a tent you can get lost .
T.

[das]

My latest trick is to take the toothed patcher feed-foot and dip it into that rubber compound hardware stores sell for re-dipping rubber-coated tool handles. It works a lot better than silicone.

[tomo]

Al why do you do that to the presser foot, can't you just back off the tension spring?
T.

[chuck_deats]

Had trouble seeing where I was stitching with a forked walking foot. Made a single foot with about the same area and rounded edges, much better. Make sure the swivel head is locked or it sews round and round in circles.
Chuck

[producthaus]

What is the proper procedure for closing a balmoral boot? I am questioning my first attempt :

0) sew lining parts together to make complete lining
1) sew tongue to lining
2) sew quarters together at back seam
3) sew vamp together at back seam
4) glue/sew quarters to lining along top seam
5) sew #4 to vamp to complete upper

I think with this process I have to sew through the lining for #5, which I wasn't sure was desired or not?

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(Message edited by producthaus on July 03, 2011)

[artzend]

Nick

It looks like you could sew the uppers together as one, then close your backseam from top to bottom. Then fit to the lining and sew around the topline like an oxford, and then across the front to catch the tongue.

That would avoid having to stitch the upper to the lining along the top of the vamp section.

Tim

[tjburr]

Nick,

First, I want to make sure you know that I do not have much experience making this type of shoe having only made two, so you can take this response as a suggestion and hopefully others will add advise from a larger experience base.

The first boot I made, I used this method, the second the method Tim describes. I tried Tim's method since there is a disadvantage to this method; which I will describe later in this post.

Since it looks like you have already sewed in the lining I thought I would try to describe the first method I tried as an alternative.

This method relies totally on how you stitch the lining in though I think we you can work around that given you have already stitched the lining in.

In the sequence of things, this is your step 5.

Now I will try to use some pictures to describe.

The key point is at the bottom of the quarters in the front and where they attach to the lining.

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To start with I tried to draw an image from the front...sorry for the bad art.

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When you sew in the lining, you do not stitch all the way to the tip of the quarter (white stitching in image) and stop stitching right before the line that you will stitch the vamp on (black stitching in image) .

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Once you have performed this, you can reach into the upper, where your foot would normally enter, and grasp the lining. If you pull the lining up, like you were reaching in and pulling the lining out of the shoe as much as you can, you will see that the lining clears itself of the stitch line for the vamp.

Since you have already stitched, you might be able to unstitch at the tip of the quarter, our you could cut a "U" shape in the lining (green line in image) to effectively do the same thing.

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After this is sewn, you can lift the vamp and sew the tounge to the exposed lining. I then sewed an additional line just outside the vamp, across the quarter to stitch the tounge in better and hold everything in place (purple stitching in image).

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I'm not sure where exactly I picked this up, but I believe it was in both one of the older books (pre-1920) as well as hinted at in George Koleff's Designing manual (he uses a fairly different lining pattern). I may be mistaken, I believe this is similar to a description in Tim's book as well, though not exactly for this type of boot.

Now to the DISADVANTAGE....

If your vamp does not closely match the quarter it can be difficult to sew exactly where you wish without causing puckering. Of course gluing the vamp to the quarter allows you to move the leather around and stretch some prior to sewing. So it is not impossible or terribly difficult if you stitch and fold accurately, but it does require more exactness. In the case of my first boot of this type, I had a greatly different quarter leather which the thickness differences effected the orange peel effect of the back seam. This showed that this method was sensitive to this.

After doing both methods, each had their own challenge, trying to sew.

Like I said...I have not even made many lasted shoes, and you can see from my previous gallery posts I am still working on improving things. But at this point you can probably test fit to see if it works.

If this does not make much sense, I can try to re-word.

Thanks
Terry

[dw]

Terry,

Great illustrations. I seem to have a mental block with regard to closing oxfords and balmorals (just a different type of oxford.

In your illustrations you have not depicted the vamp/golosh, or have you? I think what I'm seeing is quarters and vamp lining...but the vamp is not been mounted yet. Is that correct?

I wish I had access to that book or a photocopy of that section. Or event he name of the book. I could use some clarity in this. I have made oxfords and balmorals specifically but it always seems like a struggle and I always seem to have to re-learn how to do it.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

[tjburr]

DW,
You are correct. The black is the outer quarter, the tan is the lining im the vamp area.

I will do the best I can to find the reference I originaly read this process in.

Terry

[tjburr]

DW,

I tracked down the references I originally started with in arriving at the sequence for the above closing of the golosh. Luckily I had the pages marked.

The first one of course is in golding, volume 2, page 223/224 in the copy I own.

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the second one is in F. Plucknett, Boot and Shoe Manufacture page 137/138.

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I believe you have both of these books, but posted them here for others and ease of access.

As you can see, the books did not explain in very good detail. As you can probably tell from my previous posts I enjoy the mechanics of closing and pattern making and find myself trying to figure out what all the descriptions are trying to recommend even if I am not quite experienced enough to execute some of them.

Also if anyone is interested, a similar method can be used to close a button top boot; based on my experience with only 4 pair I found it to be quite straight forward and easy.

I hope to find a few minutes tomorrow, cut some leather out and take some pictures of the process for a balmoral boot (taking a few shortcuts like not turning the edges,etc.). Even though I am not as experienced, and maybe because the mistakes of that inexperience, I thought it would be interesting to attempt to describe through actual pictures some of the pros and cons of the two methods as I encountered them.

Every time I read these old books, I find something interesting. I do not remember reading it, but the idea of using a wooden block/board to hold the lining/upper while gluing sounds interesting. This is described on the first Golding image in the part above the red circled section.

For more modern books and a description of oxford closing, Tim Skyrme has a very good description in his book (page 116). It uses a slightly different technique than I ended up with through the short description in the above books, but is fairly close and he has very, very, did I mention very, good pictures of the process. Thanks for such a great book Tim!

And to make sure I get my request in now, I am asking Santa, or more accurately my wife, for a copy of Frank Jones' Pattern Cutters Handbook in the hope that I can get even more insights into closing different types.

Terry

[lancepryor]

FWIW, I closed my balmoral boots the same way I do my oxfords: with a 'hung' lining, i.e. I sew the entire upper together, and then the entire lining (with a bit of excess at the top line). I then mount the lining in the upper and sew the two together along the top line of the facings and quarters; I start this sewing a bit to the left of the rear seam, go around the back/right quarter, down the right facing, then back up the left facing and back along the top line to where the stitching started. Also, note that before finishing the stitching, you can get in between the upper and lining to pull the starting stitch between the upper and lining, hence hiding the cut thread. The tongue is cut separately and sewn in subsequently along the vamp/quarter line. You may want to crimp or otherwise shape the tongue before you mount it in the upper.

You do need a post- or cylinder-bed machine to do it this way, whereas some other approaches may allow a flat bed machine to close the shoe.

Lance

[jon_g]

I haven't made this boot before but I would be inclined to try lining it the way I line oxfords generally. Here's a photo of a whole cut from the inside.

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This way you have the tongue between the lining and the upper.

And then put in a heavy hand stitch where the two quarters meet.

[artzend]

Terry

Thanks for the kind words. To figure out how different styles are closed, spend a bit of time looking at existing shoes and figure out which section has to be closed first, and why. You will find that at some stage you will be able to see all the bits in your head in 3D, then it will become easy.

Mostly, closing is just about working out a sequence that avoids complications and having to re do and undo parts that have been closed out of sequence.

When you are doing your patterns write yourself a closing sequence at the same time. That way everything is fresh in your mind. It's just a series of layers.

Tim
www.shoemakingbook.com

[tomo]

Tim's right It does take a bit of nutting out Terry. My mother left school in Melbourne at the age of 14 and went to work as a machinist in the footwear industry - we're talking 1940 here.

She eventually arrived here in New Zealand and did the same work. Retiring as the sample machinist for what use to be Feltex Footwear.

Her job entailed working in the pattern room with six or so shoe designers. Her job was to take the drawings and write out the 'Sequences', so that when the shoe went into production the factory foreladies knew what steps had to be done and in what order. To achieve this mum had to make each sample (shoe) from start to finish and transcribe the steps onto paper.

So don't feel as though you won't get it. It's a time thing and after a while you will see the shoe in CAD 3D

[tjburr]

As promised, here is the closing sequence I like to use on a balmoral boot.

First. I know this is going to be a long post. I have tried to make the images smaller, hopefully they are not to big, yet readable. I ask the moderators to let me know if changes need to be made or to make them for me. Also if something is not visible, let me know and I can try a different image.

As mentioned earlier, I do not have years of experience in this, so there might be yet a better way. However, of the two methods I have tried I like this method the best. This method allows for some error in the pattern when it comes to creating the orange peal effect for the lining and if desired it can actually be sewed on a flat bed. The end result is also very close to a hung lining, but the process assures there are no extra bulges in the lining and the lining sits tightly to the quarter without stretching.

The first installment will be the patterns I used. The vamp pattern and quarter pattern are probably what anyone would expect.

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The lining pattern is slightly different than the pictures shown above. In this case there are two pieces, one for each side. The lining is sewn together at the front. This will become more visible later. This type of lining is shown in many/most of the older books (golding) and even in the Kolef pattern book.

I like this lining, but you do have to make sure the seam in the front is skived and finished good otherwise there will be a crease down the front of the vamp before it goes under the toe stiffener/puff.

Keep in mind, that when creating the lining pattern, the bottom of the backseam needs to be reduced. This method makes sure the lining fits the quarter well, but there must be extra space to allow for a heel stiffener to be inserted and not cause buckling in the lining.

Note: this process will work with other forms of linings, and after this is all done I will provide a separate sequence of pictures to show how.

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Terry

[tjburr]

This is the second installment. Most people will not need these pictures, but I wanted to make it complete.

WARNING: If you are new to this, I took some shortcuts and cost savings to generate this since I was not really building a balmoral boot. Therefore; 1) the leather is not the leather I would normally use, it was just odd-lot leather I had laying around 2) I did not finish the edges, normally I would skive and fold over the edges and/or add piping 3) I did not skive some of the seams

It was my hope that these shortcuts would not detract from the main purpose of showing the closing sequence.

The next steps are to sew the backseams of the quarter, lining and vamp.

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Terry

[tjburr]

This is the third installment.

For some patterns, a backstrap is added to the quarters. You would first rub down the quarter backseam and then wow would be the time to add a backstrap.

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The next step is to add the re-enforcement for the lace holes as shown below, and to add top line tape (not shown below; I was low on topline tape).

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You then rub down both the lining and vamp backseams.

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Terry

[tjburr]

For the fourth installment, we will sew the quarter to the lining.

First I apply rubber cement to the topline of the lining and quarter. After this is dry, I stick the quarter to the lining while keeping the lining curved like it will be on the last/foot. This addresses the orange peel effect.

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This picture shows the quarter and lining prior to sewing. This picture also has white marks where I will start and stop sewing. To make this work, you do not want to sew all the way to the tip of the quarter.

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Now this shows the starting position and stopping position of sewing the quarter to the lining. This is to re-enforce that you do not sew all the way to the tip of the quarter.

After these are sewed, you can pull the thread through the back and tie off. This part will be covered by the tongue later and will not be visible in the shoe.

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Terry

[tjburr]

This is the fifth installment in this series.

The next step is to trim the lining and get ready for sewing the front of the lining. The following two pictures show the lining trimmed and cut ready to sew the front of the lining. The red line shows where my original pattern intended the front lining to be sewn.

I intentionally moved the attachment of the quarter to show what you do if adjustments of the lining to the quarter did not come out correctly.

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The front lining must be sewed properly to make sure there is no gap in the facings. So at this time the location of exactly where the lining needs to be sewed together has to be determined to make this happen. As mentioned above, I created a gap so this would be more visible. The new sew line is shown in green in this picture.

This picture also shows hoe the quarter is pulled back to allow the lining to be sewn.

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The next picture shows the seam glued down and hammered flat. This is the part that if you do not skive, glue and hammer correctly it will leave a noticeable seam in the finished product.

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Terry

[tjburr]

In this sixth installment, I want to take a moment to show how the lining will be turned to allow sewing. To put the shoe together, I would normally not perform this at this stage, but wanted to show this since it was more visible.

After a few more steps, we will be pulling the lining inside the quarter. This allows the lining to get out of the way of sewing the vamp.

First in this picture you can see the effect of pulling the lining away. Notice by not sewing the lining all the way to the tip of the quarter, the lining will leave room to sew the vamp on.

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You will then be pulling the lining all the way up through the quarter.

Remember, this is just to show what will be performed, do not perform this at this time.

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Terry

[tjburr]

This is the seventh installment of this sequence.

After the front lining is sewn, I apply rubber cement to the tips of the facing and the lining underneath. I then temporarily stick these together after the cement dries. This is to make sure the facings are kept close together as you will want for the finished product.

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I then apply rubber cement to the bottom of the quarter and the top of the vamp. After this dries I align this and stick these two pieces together. It is important to line up the back seams. Done correctly these will fit together easy and will look well when sewed together.

Note: I have seen several variations at this point.
1) you can perform a few hand stitches across the facing to hold them better in place. Remember to make sure that this is done high enough to not attach the lining to the quarter in such a way that the lining can not be pulled through.
2) I have seen a small piece of leather, in some cases a circle, placed over the bottom of the facings and under the quarter to cover where the facings meet at the bottom.

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You can then pull the lining through the quarter as illustrated above and sew the vamp to the quarter without sewing through the lining.

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Terry

[tjburr]

This is the eight and final installment.

For the final installment I wanted to end with how to sew the tongue in. There are probably other ways to do this, but this is the sequence I have used. I like the look of Jon's tongue lining and I will have to think of how to modify this closing process and use that type of lining to achieve the look.

After the vamp is sewn on, pull the lining back through and return it to its normal place. You can then lift the vamp up and expose the lining.

At this point you can sew the tongue to the lining. I then return the vamp over the lining and sew a line of stitching just above the vamp seam across the facing to firmly attach the tongue to the quarter and lining.

Since the older books I picked up this technique from were not very clear, please let me know if you have any suggestions on how to make this better. This was my interpretation of their cryptic words

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Thanks for reading to this point. I hope it was helpful.

Terry

[romango]

Thanks Terry. Very interesting and straight forward approach.

[artzend]

Terry

You would be better to overlap the lining seam, not close seam it. This would be to reduce the bulk and the possibility of the seam showing through the upper, as it will with some lighter upper leathers.

Tim

[tjburr]

Tim,

Thanks for the advice, I can see how that would make a flatter seam. It also would not require such as wide a skive as this seam does. In addition there is a little more control at making sure the front facings are perfectly meeting.

I have never been sure about having the seams exposed to the inside of the shoe. In some cases, like the side seams, they are very common. In others like this seam, and the backseam I have seen them avoided. I have not understood the reasoning one way or the other. With modern thread I do not believe there is a problem wearing through, or is there really a problem Maybe with linen thread there was.

It seams like the backseam on the lining would also lay flatter. Is an overlap seam used on the backseam at all?

Thanks
Terry