More Ghillies

We had a small ghilie making class at the Bois d’Arc Rendezvous.  Maybe not as exciting as the arrow-making but it is a real and useful skill.

Now those are sexy shoes!

Moccasins

My ratty old moccasins that have spent a lot of time in the woods.  These have been my winter moccasins for nearly a decade.  I can’t remember exactly when I made them but it was a quick and dirty sewing job.  They have been re-soled (I think) once.  They are an oil-tanned leather I bought from a saddle and boot maker supply house I found while driving through Texas.  As can be seen, the tops can be worn up or down.

Ghillies (shoes)

I am all about the DIY.  After making a pair of sandals for Winter Count this year (I arrived with only work boots) I got re-interested in making shoes.  I have made many moccasins for woods walking, especially when I was into mountain man and F & I re-enactment and decided to make some new ghillies.  I like these because there is almost no sewing and I think they are cool.  Much of Europe wore a variation of this theme for millenia.  I then took it as a veritable sign when I saw this on the Instructables web page: http://www.instructables.com/id/Viking_shoes/.  Even though these are listed as Viking style, I think they are commonly associated with their Celtic cousins in Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.  I made a set of these years ago with little instruction and they were great.  These are a little more thought out and I will likely make a better pair based on what I learned here.  Click photos for larger picture.

pattern and finished

rear view

sewn heel

lacing the toe

after wetting and shaping

drying before oiling