WIP: Leprechauns.

As everybody knows,

 leprechauns are shoemakers.

And I'd like to find one, 

because making tiny shoes

 I've found to be a vexing process

( I was going to put a picture 

of a leprechaun here

but when I googled the word,

 my screen filled with so much

 that was both green and cheesy, 

I felt quite bilious).

A wee chap, hammering at tiny shoes

 fit for fairies while singing songs 

and drunk off his skull,

would probably give

 highly satisfactory results.

While I continue to look for a leprechaun,

here is my cheater's method of making

pretty and neat little leather shoes for dolls.

First, you need,

 absolutely need, 

to make one of these.

This is a shoe last.

Make it from fimo, or any other polymer clay.

Do not make it from air dry clay,

 as the last is going to get wet.

Make the last slightly bigger than the doll's foot. 

If you want, you can make a left and a right, 

but I'm making round -toed ballet flats, 

and one last works fine for that.

Then, an old leather glove.

Old. but in reasonable condition.

Yes, yes, I know, the expense!

I repeat, an old leather glove.

Check charity shops,

(thrift stores),

the glove compartment,

(glove box)

anywhere old gloves are deposited.

It helps if you have two gloves, 

then you can match the shoes exactly,

but it's not absolutely necessary.

Check the length of the glove fingers against 

both the doll and the last.

Cut off two fingers.
(Not your fingers.)

Decide which is the sole
and which is the upper. 

Some gloves have a welted seam around the finger 

and that makes for a good sole.

Make a split down the top of the shoe, 

stopping before you reach the tip. 

leaving enough of the tip to form the toe of the shoe.

 Wet the finger, 

(not your finger.)

and massage in a little PVA (white) glue.

Cover the shoe last in clingfilm or a thin plastic bag

and ease it into the leather finger, smoothing as you go.

 At the heel of the shoe,

 ease open the seams of the glove 

and wrap them around the last,

 making a neat bond.

Leave to dry.

Once dry, ease the shoe off the last.

Done.

Here are a pair I made for Miss Polly.

Even if you don't want to chop up leather gloves,

I recommend making a shoe last, 

at least for shoe sizes you know you'll repeat.

It's either that, 

or bait your leprechaun-traps with Guinness and wait...

To follow this story forwards,
read here.