... I thought I'd show you some old pics from when I worked as a Viking shoemaker in a Norwegian museum. These are some of the shoes I made...
After sewing shoes for two summers (and quite a lot in between) I found myself absolutely loathing shoes and leatherworking. It was a shoe-making overdose! I wonder if I will ever feel like sewing shoes again...
Hello! I love your blog! I'm attempting to be part of a Viking-age re-enactment camp at the end of June and was researching making some shoes myself and found your blog post. Do you have any links or instructional material on how to stitch and sew the sole to the upper? I'm interested in trying to make them myself in order to experience the techniques of that time-period. Any information or ideas you have are greatly appreciated. Thanks. - John Carlson
Hi John! Making your own Viking Age shoes isn't difficult, and I'm sure you'll be able to make a pair! Unfortunately I don't know of any good online tutorials, though that of course does not mean that such instructions don't exist. I personally have often used a book called Skoboken, but that's in Swedish as well as very very tricky to get a hold of in America.
Hm... If you come back to this site in a day or two I'll see if I can whip up some kind of instructions for you. =) As I said, it's pretty easy once you know what you're doing, and if you're used to handicrafts I'm sure you'll pick it up in no time. /Fanny
Thanks Fanny! I am looking forward to it! Unfortunately I don't speak Swedish, Danish or Norwegian either, since I'm a third-generation American. My Great Grandfather was also John Carlson and came from the Stockholm area, but the language wasn't passed on to my grandfather or my father. History research might be much easier for me if I could speak Swedish! I really like the appearance of the shoes and ankle boots you made, with the slight pointed curled-up toes. It reminds me of the Sami boots I saw online, but not as pronounced. I wonder if the construction is the same technique: http://www.flickr.com/photos/north_of_sixty/2329875673/
Hello! I love your blog! I'm attempting to be part of a Viking-age re-enactment camp at the end of June and was researching making some shoes myself and found your blog post. Do you have any links or instructional material on how to stitch and sew the sole to the upper? I'm interested in trying to make them myself in order to experience the techniques of that time-period. Any information or ideas you have are greatly appreciated. Thanks. - John Carlson
ReplyDeleteHi John! Making your own Viking Age shoes isn't difficult, and I'm sure you'll be able to make a pair! Unfortunately I don't know of any good online tutorials, though that of course does not mean that such instructions don't exist. I personally have often used a book called Skoboken, but that's in Swedish as well as very very tricky to get a hold of in America.
ReplyDeleteHm... If you come back to this site in a day or two I'll see if I can whip up some kind of instructions for you. =) As I said, it's pretty easy once you know what you're doing, and if you're used to handicrafts I'm sure you'll pick it up in no time. /Fanny
Thanks Fanny! I am looking forward to it! Unfortunately I don't speak Swedish, Danish or Norwegian either, since I'm a third-generation American. My Great Grandfather was also John Carlson and came from the Stockholm area, but the language wasn't passed on to my grandfather or my father. History research might be much easier for me if I could speak Swedish!
DeleteI really like the appearance of the shoes and ankle boots you made, with the slight pointed curled-up toes. It reminds me of the Sami boots I saw online, but not as pronounced. I wonder if the construction is the same technique: http://www.flickr.com/photos/north_of_sixty/2329875673/