/ MICHELLE QUICK /

I’ve been doing a lot more sportswear constructions in my classes recently. Here are some process photos from one of my latest, featuring a hand-built cup sole.

Recently completed this order for a pair of men’s derby shoes combining American alligator leather with French calf. Features a handsewn English welt with a treaded rubber sole and heel. Here are photos of the process and finished product. 

Adjusting the last to fit the client's exact measurements.

Master pattern with all design lines.

Sectional patterns for upper and lining.

Placing quarter patterns on the alligator for cutting.

Cut out quarters.

Making the upper.

Sewing upper quarters to the lining.

Uppers ready for lasting.

On the last.

Inseaming.

Welt stitched, heel rand and shank in place.

Heel building.

Rubber sole and toplift applied.

Finished shoes.

I recently moved my studio space from a rented unit in town to my spare bedroom and have been enjoying working from home this summer. I was a little worried about having my studio work so closely linked with living space, but so far it’s been great and I have found myself being much more active, since I don’t feel I have to block off specific time to go to the studio. I wanted to give a tour of my set up and showcase a few new things. 

Fisheye view from the entrance.

I’ve broken the room up into different areas, in an attempt to streamline how I work.

This is my main work table with storage. I use this for all of my ‘making’ work, as all of my tools and supplies are easily accessible here. 

I wanted to have a separate desk for sketching and doing computer work, and try to keep this area clear of the mess that piles up when I’m in the middle of making something. Love the view out the window.

Arial view of desk

Leather and last storage. I find it really important to have all my leathers easily accessible and visible, otherwise it’s easy to forget about them. I’ve built up quite a collection over the years and I’m constantly looking through it as I start planning new projects and deciding if I need to order any new leather in.

Cutting table. In addition to my main work table, I wanted a clear space where I can roll out large pieces of leather, pattern paper, etc and do any cutting. 

Product display and customer fitting area. It was important for me to have a space to showcase some of my products and when I do have a client come to the studio, to have an area for meeting that wasn’t right on top of the worktables, so this little corner serves that purpose.

Tool wall with Singer machine folded up. I created this tool storage board in my last studio and wanted to make it a focal point in the new studio. The location next to my work table is very convenient and my newly restored sewing machine fits perfectly underneath. I mainly keep the machine folded up unless I’m in using it. 

Singer machine folded out. This machine is a 1951 Singer 201, gear driven, cast iron machine. I was given this by a family member a while ago and didn’t give it much thought as a leather machine until I started doing some research on converting it. Turns out it sews light and medium weight leather incredibly well as is. After a quick tune up and the happy discovery of all the original attachments and manuals hidden in the stool, I had it up and running. I’ve already made a few things on it to test it out. 

Unlined Bucket Bag made on the Singer 201 (color is off in this photo, true color shown in detail shots below).

Details of Bucket Bag - contrast edge coating, stitch details, texture

I’m very happy with the layout of the studio. I’ve tried to create a place for everything and keep it organized. Here are a few more detail shots from around the studio.

Hardware Storage

Variety of Shoemaking Nails and Pattern Weights

Apron and Bag Storage

Last Line Up

Molded Leather Samples from Craft the Leather workshop

Tassels and Bags on Display

Designer in The Studio Portrait

I completed this bespoke order a while back and documented the entire making process. What follows is a step-by-step photo essay with a brief outline of each stage in my design and making process for a custom pair of shoes. I thoroughly enjoy working with clients to create one of a kind products. The problem solving involved in the initial stages of developing a design specifically to their needs is something I find very rewarding, especially when everything comes together with both of our aesthetic preferences.

The bespoke process starts with a meeting with the client. We discuss their functional needs and style preferences so that I can begin the design process. I also take a detailed foot tracing with key measurements in order to create/modify the last. 

/ Left: Foot Tracing with Lasts / Right: Proposed Designs and Material Swatches

Once a design is agreed upon and the materials selected, I create a fitter or trial shoe to make sure the fit is accurate and the client is happy with the overall look. The fitter is generally made with similar but lower grade materials. If any modifications are required to the last or the pattern, they are made before moving on to constructing the final pair. 

/ Left: Finished Test Fitter / Right: Adjusting the Lasts after Fit Trial /

/ Left: Patterns / Right: Final Upper and Lining Leathers /

I then begin clicking (cutting) and closing (sewing) to upper together and preparing all of the internal components of the shoe. For my bespoke orders, I work exclusively with leather components for stiffeners, insoles, and linings. This allows the final shoe to mold to the wearer's foot and remains breathable. 

/ Left: Clicked Upper Pieces / Right: Closed Uppers Ready for Lasting /

Now it’s time to start making the shoe. Most of my bespoke orders are a welted construction, which means that all of the layers (upper, lining, insole, sole) are hand stitched together and the sole can easily be replaced for longevity. 

/ Left: Shaping the Leather Insole / Right: Upper and Lining Lasted with Counter Stiffener /

/ Left: Installing the Leather Toe Stiffener / Right: Fully Lasted, Ready for Welting /

/ Left and Right: Stitching the Welt /

/ Left: Completed Welt / Right: Pegged Heel Rand, Corked, and Roughed in Preparation of Sole Attachment /

After the upper and lining are sewn to the insole and welt, the bottoming process of applying the sole, stitching it to the welt and building the heel can begin. Again, all of these components are made of high-quality veg tan leather and built by hand.

/ Left: Soles Glued On (BTW this photo was taken in Marcell Mrsan’s old studio space / Right: Hand Stitching on the Soles /

/ Left: Both Soles Stitched On / Right: Trimming the Edge of the Welt with a Lip Knife

/ Left and Right: Building the Heel Layer by Layer /

/ Left and Right: Applying the Rubber Heel Top Lift /

After finishing the sole and heel edge, inserting the sock liner and polishing the shoes, they are ready to be delivered to the client. I prefer to do this in person so any fit or comfort issues can be assessed, but if the fitter was done properly, usually everything fits perfectly and the client walks away happy, which was the case with this pair. With proper care, this type of shoe with all leather components can last 10 to 20 years or more. 

/ Above: Finished Pair of Shoes /

I am currently in the final stages of a collaborative project with my incredibly talented friend Kat Marks. I had been wanting to get back into horn working for a while but felt the desire to explore applications other than footwear. Kat’s work ranges from garments, jewelry, and other accessories. She works a lot with different plastics and molded leathers, and I felt that could easily translate to horn working. Figuring out how we would collaborate remotely was somewhat challenging, as both of us have a hands-on approach to design. Our designs evolved through a process of sending physical samples and prototypes back and forth, both of us creating different elements to form a finished accessory. Here are several photos from my process of creating the horn elements for the collection. Stay tuned for the final results soon.

Laying out pattern pieces on the flattened horn. It can be challenging to get the right coloring for each piece, especially if you are making ‘a pair’. 

Rough cut pieces ready for shaping and sanding.

Molded and rough sanded pieces being sanded by hand - I sand incrementally to 2100 grit sandpaper to get a smooth surface ready for polishing. **You can see a few of the initial prototypes Kat sent me in the background.**

Glossy, polished horn pieces. Some will require additional drilling for stitch/rivet attachments, but I like to polish them first.

I've been working on a few commissioned pieces recently. This particular handbag was made for a client with organizational needs. I usually approach bag designs from an aesthetic point and then work in functional details, so this project was a bit like working backwards for me.

The finished bag features two outer zip pockets (different constructions to keep the design interesting), an interior zipper compartment, and a 2 part divided interior with 3 organizational pockets. I wanted to keep the overall look classic but at the same time, graphic and modern. The client gave input on certain details and material options which I took into account when designing and choosing materials.

Here is my process documentation for making the 'Jeanne Bag':

Patterns for bag outer.

Leather pieces cut for bag outer.

Partially assembled bag outer.

Lining pieces.

Starting to come together.

Lining dropped in.

Just missing the handles.

Making corded handles.

Finished bag.

3/4 and Back view.

Details - pocket and strap loop, tack stitch on gusset divider, contrast stitching on zipper facing, tack stitch on zipper compartment tab.

Interior view of bag lining.

I recently finished up a pair of sandals that started as a demo in my materials class. Materials and Processes is a class that I actually proposed when I first started at SCAD - I helped write it, as well as defend it to the council and now it's part of the program curriculum. The purpose of the class is to educate students on all of the materials that we work with in accessory design (leathers, textiles, plastics, metals, etc) and pushes them to experiment and find new ways to work with these materials as they learn different methodologies. We do several studio projects and one of them involves building a custom wedge or composite sole for footwear. The students have not yet learned footwear upper patterning, so I have them make basic sandal uppers. I made the demo pair to my measurements, finishing them just in time for summer.

Since I was demonstrating building a wedge, I decided to make a sporty flatform sandal. The straps are made of embossed snake print leather with cream and black leather trim. The ankle strap has a small silver buckle. I built the wedge out of medium density EVA foam and covered it with black leather to match the upper and insole. These are so comfortable, the foam absorbs shock and cushions the foot well.

All of the components for one sandal: shoe last, built up EVA wedge, rubber sole, insole with sockliner, upper straps.

Wedge built on the last by gluing layers to fit the contours of the footbed and heel height. Notice that I built up two initial layers for the front platform height, then added layers just at the back to level out the heel height - these were sanded down to a level wedge, then a final layer over the entire length to finish it off.

Closer look at the built up layers.

Wedge being wrapped with black leather.

Fully covered wedge.

Prepared insole with upper attached and covered wedge. Just need to glue these together and then put on the sole.

I had been planning to make a new pair of chukka boots for a certain someone and wanted to try a different type of construction. With guidance from my friend and colleague, Marcell Mrsan, I decided to do a stitchdown construction.

The upper is a heavy grey nubuck, which was quite a challenge to last actually. I wanted to keep the attention on the sole stitches, so the upper is kept simple with light grey stitching and minimal details. Chunky, black stitching connects the upper to the midsole. Finally a natural leather sole and heel with a lugged rubber top lift. This style is a bit on the rugged side for me, but I absolutely love the combination of grey, black and nude.

I set out with the goal of documenting the entire making process, but the natural of how I work these days - changing between the school studio, my home studio, and for this project, Marcell's studio - it just didn't happen. Here are some of the steps I did manage to capture.

Patterns with clicked upper and lining leather.

Upper and lining ready for skiving on the beautiful Comelz digital skiver.

Skived edge detail.

Toe puff lasted and ready to be rasped.

Both shoes lasted, waiting to be soled and stitched.

Finally, the happy customer enjoying his new shoes.

I finally managed to make a pair of shoes for myself. I have made several single shoes or pairs that fit me, but never a pair specifically for everyday wear. These shoes were actually started while I was still in London, as part of a demo and have been sitting in my studio for the better part of two years. I am definitely glad to have them finished.

The upper design was based off of a classic jazz shoe, I wanted it to be quite delicate and to contrast with the substantial welted sole.

The suede strap details are actually a happy accident. I was originally planning to have a black-on-black embroidered toe cap but ran into some issues once I started lasting. What started as a way to cover up the mistake turned into a design feature.

My favorite thing about these shoes is the textural contrasts.

Process: here are the shoes on my workbench with the welt sewn on and the shank glued in.

The shoes are very comfortable and I've been enjoying wearing them out. 

This is a demo bag I made for a recent project introducing my advanced handbag students to a cemented hard case construction. I decided to make this simple evening clutch but several of my students used the same technique to make larger luggage style bags.

I love the brushed texture of this leather and wanted that to be the main focus of the design. 

I kept the style lines basic and just accented with hardware.

I couldn't resist adding a bright lining to offset the gold tones of the outer materials.

I included side gussets on the lining to keep all the contents secure.

I always try to impress on my students the importance of creating mock ups and prototypes - especially if they are experimenting with a new construction. Most of the time, I begin the design process with 3D experiments before sketching and finalizing details.

For my most recent bag, I knew I wanted to incorporate a certain folding and pleating technique but wasn't sure about the placement. I started out just folding paper, eventually created a half-scale model for a drawstring bag. I then finalized the dimensions and created another mock-up in felt to figure out a rough assembly order. My final mock-up was made in similar materials and constructed exactly like the final, except for a few details. 

Here are some close ups of the final mock-up - triangular pleats on the bottom and a hand carved cow horn closure.

Quite a few things can change when scaling up to full size, so I would normally do another rough mock up in full scale. This design is fairly minimal and I didn't think there would be many issues. Here is the final bag.

It can be worn as either a shoulder bag or backpack.

Details include a back zip pocket, braided leather straps, carved horn closure and 2 interior compartments.

Here is another bag I made as part of a class demo. This is one of the first bags my students make - a one piece gusset construction with front, back and flap closure. My students get several options for customizing the bag, they choose the materials, dimensions, decorative details, etc. They also get to choose between hand or machine stitching. 

I kept this bag simple to show the construction details. It's stitched entirely by hand.                                                                         Black textured cow leather, purple cotton thread, nickel hardware.

Removable strap with stitched shoulder detail.

Double magnetic closure, interior flat zipper pocket.

I made this bag as part of a demo for a T-base tote construction. I used a very firm, thick leather and left the bag unlined. I included an internal pocket and key holder.

These spring frame coin purses are another item I made as gifts over the holidays. I played around this lots of different colors and materials, but I kept these basic designs for myself.

I've been building up quite the collection of tassels. I made keychains for holiday gifts this year and have been experimenting with necklaces as well. This is my current stash.

This past year, I've been making a wide variety of accessories. Since the classes I teach cover a broad range - shoes, bags, wallets, belts, hats, etc - I find myself accumulating all of these projects I use for demos. Thought I'd round some of them up and share them with you.

Here is a series of cardholders I've been experimenting with recently. That is real alligator, that I got at American Tanning & Leather Co. 

The first one I hand stitched, but decided I wanted a more delicate finish and used machine stitching on the next two. I like having the contrast of the cow leather for the second pocket and the geometric pocket openings.

ID holder on other side, again with a contrasting underlay. The first two I just left open, but decided to use a plastic cover on the last one.

Open pocket in the middle for cash.

I've been wanting to make a belt for myself for some time, but any of the suitable leather I have wasn't long enough for a traditional belt. I took inspiration from an Hermes folding belt I had seen a while ago and created this.

It folds up very compact, but opens up into a normal belt. It reminds my of those old fold up rulers.

Made from laminated black cow leather, a nickle roller buckle and nickle chicago screws.

This is a zipper pouch I made during a demo in my Sewing Tech class. 

I used a vintage metal zipper, embossed cowhide and cotton lining.