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Posted on: 5/18/06 11:47 PM ET
Does anyone know a source for soft leather like the kind used for baby shoes like these Jack and Lily? My daughter's feet turn in slightly(pigeon toes) and her Dr. recommended this type of shoe because they let her feet develop normally. She also does not trip over her feet as she does in her regular shoes. They do not hold up well outside and that is of course when she is running around and they are most useful! At $30 a pair this is going to get expensive! I found a pattern to make them myself, but I cannot find the right leather. I really would like to find it in different colors. Thanks!
Posted on: 5/19/06 1:17 AM ET
Those shoes are darling! Definitely a step up from what they did to my poor pigeon toed feet. I think my mom described it as a bar brace that held my feet apart and I even slept in it. Glad I don't remember that.
Have you seen the leather at Denver Fabrics? They have small hides of which I have two colors and can tell you they are soft and very pliable.
The cheaper priced hides are the smooth, soft leather I'm talking about. The hides that are a bit more expensive look stiffer and say they are a firm hide. I don't have any of the firm hides so I can't tell you how those feel.
You might be able to get swatches but I'm not sure on the leather.
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Have you seen the leather at Denver Fabrics? They have small hides of which I have two colors and can tell you they are soft and very pliable.
The cheaper priced hides are the smooth, soft leather I'm talking about. The hides that are a bit more expensive look stiffer and say they are a firm hide. I don't have any of the firm hides so I can't tell you how those feel.
You might be able to get swatches but I'm not sure on the leather.
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Leah
Posted on: 5/19/06 1:21 AM ET
On the product page they offer 1 inch square samples!! I didn't see that when I was ordering but that is a nice option.
HTH
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HTH
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Leah
Posted on: 5/19/06 3:26 AM ET
In reply to maiaj
This place might be worth looking into. They sell bags of mixed scraps of skins for reasonable prices, -some of them in bags with pieces guaranteed to be no smaller than, say, a square foot. At least then you can get a lot of different kinds/colors of leathers in pieces that are big enough to make a child's shoes for not a ton of $$$. They sell remnants, too. You might want to email them to ask about which skins/tanning processes are appropriate for making footwear that will last longer.
Justleather.com
And, I. Sachs & sons in Chicago is a venerable leather -including shoe leather -dealer in Chicago. I don't think they do on-line sales but they do have a website with contact information on it. They'd certainly be helpful in picking out the best kind of skin for what you want to do.
My WebpageI. SAchs & Sons
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Justleather.com
And, I. Sachs & sons in Chicago is a venerable leather -including shoe leather -dealer in Chicago. I don't think they do on-line sales but they do have a website with contact information on it. They'd certainly be helpful in picking out the best kind of skin for what you want to do.
My WebpageI. SAchs & Sons
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I am going for a level of perfection that is only mine... Most of the pleasure is in getting that last little piece perfect...Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just keep showing up and doing the work.
Chuck Close, painter, printmaker, photographer
Hope has two lovely daughters: Anger and Courage
St. Augustine
Chuck Close, painter, printmaker, photographer
Hope has two lovely daughters: Anger and Courage
St. Augustine
Posted on: 5/19/06 7:09 AM ET
Thanks for the sources, I plan to check them out this afternoon!
Leora-They rarely use the corrective shoes/braces anymore, apparently they found they don't work all that well, my DH wore them and he still has a bit of pigeon toes. There is no doubt that he is her father when they run down the street together :D. We are hoping she grows out of this (most children do by age 3) as the only treatment currently would be surgery
if they determine it is severe enough to affect her knees or hips. Needless to say, if wearing out lots of little leather shoes helps then so be it!
Leora-They rarely use the corrective shoes/braces anymore, apparently they found they don't work all that well, my DH wore them and he still has a bit of pigeon toes. There is no doubt that he is her father when they run down the street together :D. We are hoping she grows out of this (most children do by age 3) as the only treatment currently would be surgery
if they determine it is severe enough to affect her knees or hips. Needless to say, if wearing out lots of little leather shoes helps then so be it!
Posted on: 5/19/06 8:08 AM ET
In reply to maiaj
I had this same problem as a baby. In those days (the late 50's) one type of treatment were a full leg casts right up to the hips. Looked pretty funny on a tiny baby! Eventually they all straightened out.
My toes today are not exactly my most attractive feature, but only one toe is still twisted.
And I wear open toe shoes and polish all summer too!
Phyllis
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My toes today are not exactly my most attractive feature, but only one toe is still twisted.
And I wear open toe shoes and polish all summer too!
Phyllis
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Sewing = Fashion
http://coudremode.com/
Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.
http://coudremode.com/
Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.
Posted on: 5/19/06 8:16 AM ET
In reply to maiaj
The doctor told my Mom when I was a child there was nothing needed to be done about my pigeon toed feet because I was a girl. Now if I had been a boy they would have done something being It was have cause problems with sports. Of course that was over 50years ago.
The doctor that did my knee replacement told me that pigeon toed feet was to my advantage on the knee area it was less stress on the joint that the opposite duck footed.
The doctor that did my knee replacement told me that pigeon toed feet was to my advantage on the knee area it was less stress on the joint that the opposite duck footed.
Posted on: 5/19/06 9:11 AM ET
Look for deerskin. It has a soft texture that is great for baby shoes. Lambskin or kidskin would also work, but I wonder if they would be less durable. I have 3 deer hides that were given to me that I intend to make baby shoes with (among other things) but haven't done it yet, probably because I'm not very excited about the color which is the natural yellow color instead of dyed.
I do have some leather scraps which I bought from HomeSew. Very few of the pieces are large enough to make a pair of shoes, but they are perfect for making embellishments with. My first pair will have monkeys on them.
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I do have some leather scraps which I bought from HomeSew. Very few of the pieces are large enough to make a pair of shoes, but they are perfect for making embellishments with. My first pair will have monkeys on them.
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Julie
Logistics and Operations
The Wilson Zoo
My machines: Pfaff 6120, 130 & 296 sewing machines, Pfaff 4752 Serger, Janome 1000CP Coverstitch
That's not a stash. I'm just waiting for my inmature clothing to grow up.
Logistics and Operations
The Wilson Zoo
My machines: Pfaff 6120, 130 & 296 sewing machines, Pfaff 4752 Serger, Janome 1000CP Coverstitch
That's not a stash. I'm just waiting for my inmature clothing to grow up.
Posted on: 5/19/06 10:56 AM ET
I just upgraded to FOPR, loong overdue but better late.....
I am always amazed at how helpful everyone is here.
Thanks Julie-I ordered some of the scraps for trim.
Linda-Unbelivable, I can't imagine treating my son for something and not my daughters!
Phyllis-A little polish can do wonders, I have little pamper time with my 3 kiddos in the summer so I just pick my favorite color and retouch over and over!
-- Edited on 5/19/06 11:02 AM --
I am always amazed at how helpful everyone is here.
Thanks Julie-I ordered some of the scraps for trim.
Linda-Unbelivable, I can't imagine treating my son for something and not my daughters!
Phyllis-A little polish can do wonders, I have little pamper time with my 3 kiddos in the summer so I just pick my favorite color and retouch over and over!
-- Edited on 5/19/06 11:02 AM --
Posted on: 5/19/06 12:29 PM ET
In reply to WilsonZooKeeper
You might want to check out Fiebings leather products for good quality leather dye for those deerskins. I've used them on bookbinding leathers. They have a whole range of leather products and probably have some kind of acrylic sealer that would help keep the color from fading or running.
They have really nice colors but if I had a lot of stuff to dye, I'd probably stick with primaries and black and mix my own colors to put some excitement back into those skins!
Fiebings
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They have really nice colors but if I had a lot of stuff to dye, I'd probably stick with primaries and black and mix my own colors to put some excitement back into those skins!
Fiebings
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I am going for a level of perfection that is only mine... Most of the pleasure is in getting that last little piece perfect...Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just keep showing up and doing the work.
Chuck Close, painter, printmaker, photographer
Hope has two lovely daughters: Anger and Courage
St. Augustine
Chuck Close, painter, printmaker, photographer
Hope has two lovely daughters: Anger and Courage
St. Augustine
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