Thoughts and Suggestions on Moccasins
Jan 3, 2016 11:51:10 GMT -7
Post by Chuck Burrows on Jan 3, 2016 11:51:10 GMT -7
A couple of thoughts on moccasins (been making and wearing them for over 50 years):
1) The hard sole types are historically fairly late - circa 1850 for the Southern Plains and as late as 1870 for the Northern Plains
2) Prior to that the one piece western side seam style was by far the most common amongst the tribes. Shoshone chief, Washakie, is shown wearing them in an 1870's photo by famed photographer William Jackson.
3) The Pucker toe with arch inset as seen so often in the 1837 Miller prints are a Metis style but were worn by others as well - a photo of Mariano Medina (formerly Modena) from the late 1850's shows him wearing this style
4) Some of the eastern tribes, such as the Delaware and Shawnee, who had moved west continued to wear their traditional often center seam and eastern pucker toe styles. The 1840's era painting of Delaware scout, Black Beaver, is shown wearing a pair.
Now for some ideas:
1) One moccasins were originally make them, wear and patch them until they wear out shoes, not intended for long term wear. At times they were even made from green or semi tanned hides.
2) Since that's a bit harder and more expensive to do today here are some recommendations for longer wearing mocs
3) I use the German Tan hides from Crazy Crow - they are tough, cheaper than real brain tan (or much less back breaking work), and if you buy seconds the neck area is often extra thick and tough. An even less expensive alternative is "buck tanned" cowhide (most commercial deer and elk are IMO too soft for good mocs)
4) Add an outer sole - if I have seconds of the GT from CC I use that thick neck area for added soles other wise for the added outer sole I use the latigo soles sold by CC or make my own from buffalo rawhide that is partially softened.
4) Add an inner sole - again I use the neck section of the GT - this way you technically get three soles, two of which can be fairly easy to replace
5) On side seams the outer sole can be added before sewing the main seam close if you use the baseball stitch which doesn't require turning the moc inside out and FWIW I have seen fur lined winter mocs using this type stitch so it's PC/HC up to point anyway.
6) Done right it's then quite easy to re-sole them and with three soles your feet won't be so tender ( I go barefoot as often as possible to toughen my feet - when younger I had a 1/4" thick callus on my soles so I could walk even on gravel without pain.)
) Bead or quill work was seldom done for everyday mocs. Most full beaded mocs are post 1870 and were for fancy Sunday-go-to-meeting purposes. IMO one reason the hard sole became popular was the top with the beadwork could be re-used by re-soling. The mocs with beads even on the soles are often called funerary mocs, but in fact were used mostly for extra fancy wear - when sitting cross legged in council one could see them and since beadwork could be expensive and was always labor intensive it was a form of oneupmanship. Later the pow wow culture and Wild West shows had an influence on clothing as well.
Please remember though that mocs tend to be slippery, especially on wet surfaces, so be careful. One 'trick" I learned years ago from and old Blackfoot man that had only ever worn mocs was to walk slightly pigeon toed, which can help grip as you walk - ever notice how the Duke walked? he picked that walk up from Yakima Canutt, who I have been told grew up wearing mocs. Some folks use Shoe Goop, spread on the sole and then add sand while still damp - this can help but they don't turn into Vibram soles by any means. I've done the same with pine (any evergreen actually) pitch and it can help, especially on grass.
7) I wear side seams and have always added the 6-8" upper to wrap around the ankle - done right with the tongue tucked underneath it will prevent most crap from sliding into you mocs.
Cool If wet feet are a concern get some Gore-Tex booties and wear with wool socks - some folks just use plastic bags for the same purpose. I generally only wear wool socks or use scrap blanketing to keep my feet warm, but then I live where it's dry most of the year and even the snow tends to be dry and powdery.
Anyway hope that helps - the Craft Manual is a good one, but for those wanting an actual pattern they are available from CC and other vendors. No matter what though I find most patterns require a bit of tweaking and when I get a good fitting pair I take them apart and make a pattern......
as always others mileage will vary........
1) The hard sole types are historically fairly late - circa 1850 for the Southern Plains and as late as 1870 for the Northern Plains
2) Prior to that the one piece western side seam style was by far the most common amongst the tribes. Shoshone chief, Washakie, is shown wearing them in an 1870's photo by famed photographer William Jackson.
3) The Pucker toe with arch inset as seen so often in the 1837 Miller prints are a Metis style but were worn by others as well - a photo of Mariano Medina (formerly Modena) from the late 1850's shows him wearing this style
4) Some of the eastern tribes, such as the Delaware and Shawnee, who had moved west continued to wear their traditional often center seam and eastern pucker toe styles. The 1840's era painting of Delaware scout, Black Beaver, is shown wearing a pair.
Now for some ideas:
1) One moccasins were originally make them, wear and patch them until they wear out shoes, not intended for long term wear. At times they were even made from green or semi tanned hides.
2) Since that's a bit harder and more expensive to do today here are some recommendations for longer wearing mocs
3) I use the German Tan hides from Crazy Crow - they are tough, cheaper than real brain tan (or much less back breaking work), and if you buy seconds the neck area is often extra thick and tough. An even less expensive alternative is "buck tanned" cowhide (most commercial deer and elk are IMO too soft for good mocs)
4) Add an outer sole - if I have seconds of the GT from CC I use that thick neck area for added soles other wise for the added outer sole I use the latigo soles sold by CC or make my own from buffalo rawhide that is partially softened.
4) Add an inner sole - again I use the neck section of the GT - this way you technically get three soles, two of which can be fairly easy to replace
5) On side seams the outer sole can be added before sewing the main seam close if you use the baseball stitch which doesn't require turning the moc inside out and FWIW I have seen fur lined winter mocs using this type stitch so it's PC/HC up to point anyway.
6) Done right it's then quite easy to re-sole them and with three soles your feet won't be so tender ( I go barefoot as often as possible to toughen my feet - when younger I had a 1/4" thick callus on my soles so I could walk even on gravel without pain.)
) Bead or quill work was seldom done for everyday mocs. Most full beaded mocs are post 1870 and were for fancy Sunday-go-to-meeting purposes. IMO one reason the hard sole became popular was the top with the beadwork could be re-used by re-soling. The mocs with beads even on the soles are often called funerary mocs, but in fact were used mostly for extra fancy wear - when sitting cross legged in council one could see them and since beadwork could be expensive and was always labor intensive it was a form of oneupmanship. Later the pow wow culture and Wild West shows had an influence on clothing as well.
Please remember though that mocs tend to be slippery, especially on wet surfaces, so be careful. One 'trick" I learned years ago from and old Blackfoot man that had only ever worn mocs was to walk slightly pigeon toed, which can help grip as you walk - ever notice how the Duke walked? he picked that walk up from Yakima Canutt, who I have been told grew up wearing mocs. Some folks use Shoe Goop, spread on the sole and then add sand while still damp - this can help but they don't turn into Vibram soles by any means. I've done the same with pine (any evergreen actually) pitch and it can help, especially on grass.
7) I wear side seams and have always added the 6-8" upper to wrap around the ankle - done right with the tongue tucked underneath it will prevent most crap from sliding into you mocs.
Cool If wet feet are a concern get some Gore-Tex booties and wear with wool socks - some folks just use plastic bags for the same purpose. I generally only wear wool socks or use scrap blanketing to keep my feet warm, but then I live where it's dry most of the year and even the snow tends to be dry and powdery.
Anyway hope that helps - the Craft Manual is a good one, but for those wanting an actual pattern they are available from CC and other vendors. No matter what though I find most patterns require a bit of tweaking and when I get a good fitting pair I take them apart and make a pattern......
as always others mileage will vary........
