Those shoes are gorgeous, and it's always so fascinating to see a start to finish process for things!! I can completely sympathize with the furry help--my cats love to chew on the ends of my knitting needles or sit on the fabric I'm sewing.
I'm so glad you did this collab these 2 years ago (damn it's already been 2 years???). I found your channel thru Safiya and still love watching your stuff
Anyone who has watched even 3 minutes of a Safiya video knows Safiya's favorite color and that she wants to be a bat. Or a solid black butterfly. Good choice on the fabric. Beautiful shoes, as always.
As a tall woman wearing size 11-12, I wish they still custom made shoes today. Then I wouldn't have to worry about not being able to find any that fit 😑. BTW as soon as you cut to footage of you making the shoes with a voiceover it was total ASMR, quite relaxing haha. That was so much work to make each shoe. I hope cobblers back then got paid well!
I feel your pain. Vionic has been a lifesaver for me, but I think American Duchess also goes up to 12? That might be a great way to get some gorgeous shoes. 😍
@@thebookwyrmslair6757 I know Vionic, a lot of the arch support brands are great! I haven't heard of American Ducheess, I wonder if I can get it in Australia.
I have small feet, but wide - but only at the top. My heel is quite narrow by comparison. And one foot is half a size bigger than the other. Trying to buy shoes is a painful experience, in more ways than one. The best fitting shoes I ever found were a pair of mens shoes, size five. Aside from how not common mens size 5 is anymore where I live, mens shoes doesn't exactly come in the sort of styles a young woman wants to be wearing when going out!
The wonderful thing, for me, about your heel-cover epiphany, is that other shoe makers in the 18th century will have come to the same conclusion, just as organically as a result of having done it over and again. A direct link from then to now, that is why I adore people who take the time to recreate the processes, use the same tools and techniques, the glow of discovery through the centuries!
I am always in complete awe of your skills, in everything you do but especially the shoes, I have no idea how long it takes to get those skills but it looks like a 10,000 hour type deal x
Oh my goodness they are beautiful! And so perfectly fit Safiya's general style. I'm so looking forward to her Williamsburg video it's going to be amazing!
Saw the thumbnail and immediately knew that Safiya would just love those shoes! Despite being what was typically worn they fit her style so well! Plus your handy work is beautiful!
I felt you in the last scenes with the dog. One day I'll accidentally knit or sew mine into a project. I long for such a laid of shoes, they're so pretty!
Best crossover ever. I'm living vicariously through Safiya. I live in a city similar to Williamsburg in the untouched architectural and craft part but not the live in museum aspect. I would love to dress up one day but my shoemaker is adamantly allergic to making women shoes (I prefer wearing the men's style) 😂
I came over from saf's video because I didn't know you but I do know of Abby. I've never seen somebody hand make shoes and I found it very fascinating. I wish saf had included a little more about what you do in her video. New subscriber from me
I just want to say thank you for your audio quality. I have a hard time hearing things fairly often, and in your videos I have never found you to be unclear. Your voice carries well, has a clear tone and sounds pleasant. It makes listening to these really nice, besides the really interesting content. Thank you!
I'd like to hear more about the calimanco! A quick search suggests that it needs a long-staple fiber but didn't mention a specific sheep breed being used historically. Love the shoes!
From what I've heard (from historic weavers) is that our regular sheep breeds today are VERY soft compared to those back then and the process won't work on that texture. Eaton Hill Textiles makes some from heritage breeds, but it's a weight and design that suits furniture better than clothing.
@@NicoleRudolph I feel like really long staple length fiber is trending right now. Corriedale is growing in popularity with knitters because of how durable it is due to how long the staple length is. I know merino is a favorite for clothing and garments worn close to the skin but its so soft because it has a short staple. Blue-faced leister (BFL) and california variegated mutant (CVM) are gaining in popularity as well because they have longer staple lengths while retaining some softness. I think Corriedale, CVM, and BFL all fall in the 3-6in staple length whereas Merino is usually around 2in.
They look so gorgeous, yet seem as comfy as a house slipper! It's amazing! Also I applaud you for finally making Safiya wear something different from her Birkenstocksd, well done XDDD
Those shoes are beautiful, love the color combo. I wish that as a kid growing up in Hampton (with both field trips and annual passes to Colonial Williamsburg) I'd stopped to ask how folks got to end up working there; life took me in a very different direction, but it was always so cool to go there (and kind of wild to find people who did work there )
I can imagine you messaging your group chat about your new stitch! I got really excited hearing about it, so I can just imagine how excited the other costubers were!
Nicole, these were absolutely amazing. I watch a lot of different DIY channels (not to say that your channel is) and watching you assemble these works of art is fascinating. I almost feel like your apprentice. Your assembly and extreme attention to form and detail reminds me of some of my bench jewelry days as an apprentice jeweler. You made me laugh when you mentioned your epiphany. It's so true. You can read hundreds of books and receive hands on instruction from those artisans in our fields but there is no no better teacher than doing it for yourself and by yourself. There is no better feeling than your customer or friend trying it on for the first time and telling you how phenomenal they look and feel. That you can NOT purchase. Thank you Nicole for the time and effort you put into all the work you do. God bless. Tim
Watching you make shoes is so interesting. I used to be a flamenco dancer and I got my shoes handmade in Spain. I had my feet measured at a store in NYC, and then they sent my measurements to the shoe makers. I'm sure the process for making them is different, but flamenco shoes look kind of similar. They generally have almond toes and low heels, and they're super comfortable to wear. I always wondered if I could request a pair for street wear. The shoes for dancing have nails in the toe and heels so that we can make the different stomping sounds. I watched Safiya Nygaard's video, too, and that looked really fun. I wanted to dress up in 18th century clothes when I was 10, too. And after I saw Dangerous Liaisons. In a way, being a dancer, I got to dress in 19th century clothes because ballet (where I started) and flamenco still hold onto traditions from a long time ago. I've heard pointe shoes were modeled on the style of street shoes people wore. But even if some ballets haven't changed much since the 1830s, it's still just a modern approximation, not attempting to recreate the real experience.
I have such a fond memory of going to colonial Williamsburg and learning hands on how to sew leather with one of the living history craftsmen. It has shaped my path with the hobby. I want to one day learn more historical crafts. This channel has also is huge inspiration for me as well.
She said on stream last week the Williamsburg should hopefully be this upcoming weekend. I assume Nicole knew and planned her release to coincide with Saf's-- long after filming in October!
Realizing after she explains the whole process and how much work goes into it that the next step would be to do the whole thing again for the second shoe 😮
I volunteer at a historic site that focuses on the 1670s. One of the things we do is shoot cannons that are sitting on platforms on top of man-made hills and we have trouble getting up those hills because our reproduction shoes don't have much traction at all. Did they just have grippier leather back then or did everyone just wear slippery shoes?
if you were going to be doing a lot of hiking or otherwise walking on mud, you would have hobnail boots/shoes, which have nails in the sole for extra traction. the historical hiker has at least two videos on them if you want to take a look (and yes, they would be used in this period. they’ve been around since roman times, or possibly even earlier)
I live in Sweden and here archaeologists have found what we call "broddar" in viking settlements. The ones I've seen has been in a square U-shape and were fastened by leather strips in a similar fashion to early ice skates although, of course, with a very different intent.
I have a pair of boots that use the wooden peg assembly process. They were made by a shop in Davos Switzerland when I was there for a conference back in the late 1980s. They are the only pair of custom made shoes I've ever owned and they are practically perfect. Getting them half-soled every seven or eight years is always fun because most of the cobblers still in business have no idea what wood peg assembly is. Getting the heel rebuilt is always a trick as well.
I couldn't stop imagining someone in the future doing the same video comparing Converse, Yeezees and Vans shoes to end up making a classic Addidas or Nike as the most common one. Love it!
tbh i didnt think much of the shoes in the video but now watching how you made them? i cant help but see it in a different light and appreciate them even more now that i know what to look for and seeing the hard work throughout the process, it’s amazing
I love when a new to me RU-vidr has a connection to a RU-vidr I'm already a fan of. My daughter and I adore Safiya and weve watched this very vid of hers when it came out! ❤❤❤ RU-vid is so fun!
Watching you make shoes is almost as calming as watching Angela Clayton construct a dress. That’s a compliment. I love the colors & can’t wait to see how you guys take Safiya (sp) back in time!
Such a delicate, intricate, patient work of art. I don't know why I am so emotive watching it... but I almost let out a tear because of beautiful it is
Love these shoes! They might be a simple design, but they look quite dapper with the green heel and trim, and the lovely buckle. Your shoe-making videos are my favorite!
I want to take a shoemaking class *so badly*! These were gorgeous and I love historical/vintage shoes but have wide feet that are nearly impossible to find comfortable and fitting shoes for so I'm basically stuck with ballerina flats and sneakers. If I could learn to make them I would make a pair of lady oxfords similar to Bernadette's with ribbon laces *immediately*!
Your video's are so well produced. They're are lovely to watch. The final product is beautiful! I am excited to see Safiya's video and I hope lots of new people will discover your channel too.
This is the most special thing I’ve watched in quite a while! I’m crying at the thought of how somebody must have felt receiving these gorgeous shoes hand-made just for them! Simply incredible & fascinating skill! Thank you for sharing your passion with us! I’d love to see a Safiya reaction video!
Gosh, Nicolle, you must have incredibly strong hands and wrists. The art of the shoemaker and the cobbler seems to have disappeared, how I wish I could have a couple of pairs of handmade shoes, made just to fit me. My husband needs special shoes following a stroke. They are handmade and fitted to his foot, taking into consideration his right foot now. These are made by the National Health Service and, because I asked, cost a minimum of £500.00 per pair. We are so thankful that the NHS provides this service. These shoes, made by you, are beautiful. I'm sure they will last far longer than any modern, made machine manufactured shoes. Oh how I wish you ........!
The art is fantastic, but what amazes me is the necessity of absolute precision. I make a mistake on a garment, I can disguise it, at least to the casual viewer. A mistake on a shoe could cause injury (or being barefoot)! However besides the obvious high level of skills shown, the final seconds of this video revealed the true secret to making perfectly breathtaking shoes.
I love love love fashion history and learning new things about it all. The process of making these shoes is endlessly fascinating to me as well as all the knowledge and skill that goes into it. They turned out so flipping gorgeous - love that green!
Like, I theoretically knew that handmaking shoes was a long and difficult process, but actually seeing it (and the fact that you have to do it TWICE and make them look the same) is insane!
What an absolutely incredible gift you have made for her. And Bailey helped. :) Love watching your shoemaking videos. Some parts are just so satisfying but I think some would be maddening as well (including having a frustrating time on the first shoe and having to go back and then make a second one.)
I love watching peoples' creative processes and this is no different. Watching the process of you making shoes amazes me every time. These pair are gorgeous 🤩
I am so jealous!! I need a new pair of shoes for my 1740’s costume for my reenactment group and would kill for a pair of these. So beautiful! You really are an artist
Oh Nicole, I loved this video from the first minute to the last. Your knowledge of everything you make is astounding. Although I’m getting on in years I really aspire to be like you, you really are a role model.
😯😯😯 I am in awe of your skills. I bet the cobbler shoppe was one of the most popular places to stop when you were working at Colonial Williamsburg. Those shoes are absolutely beautiful!
I admire your craftsmanship! thank you for this video. ❤ Its so calming to watch you while explaining what you do. Although i can't wrap my head around how this inside out magic is working. 😀
I love the care and precision plus history you gave us along with a stellar pair of shoes. Shoes and shoe history are normally not my vibe but I'm reconsidering wether this one set of shoes per season individual needs to watch more historical shoe content cause I was enthralled! I loved the colours you chose too
The shoes are beautiful! It is amazing the different stitches, tools, fabrics, leathers, and thread used for making her shoes. You are very talented and do amazing work! Thank you for sharing your process and techniques...amazing!!
