• Introduction    
  • Tools and Supplies    
  • Sewing Notes    
  • Safety Notes    
  • Material Selection    
  • Getting the Pattern    
  • From Duct Tape 
    to Cardboard
       
  • Pattern Adjustments   
  • Cutting out the Pieces   
  • Preparing the Sole   
  • Starting Construction   
  • Assembling The Back   
  • Applying The Lacing Blocks   
  • Making Buttons   
  • Attaching the back to 
    the front
       
  • Cementing the Upper 
    to the Sole
       
  • Sewing the Upper 
    to the Sole
       
  • Attaching the Rubber Sole   
  • Sewing on the Buttons   
  • Lacing Up   
  • Glossary 
         
  • Design Home   
  • Lacing blocks

    Have you made your buttons, yet?

    Not that you necessarily need to have buttons made yet... you do need to know what your buttons will look like, particularly what size you're going to use . You might want to take a look at Making Buttons before you continue.

    Click to see the full image... Lacing blocks are not difficult to apply, just tedious. What needs explanation is the spacing. I agonized over this on the first few pairs, and sometimes still don't get it quite right. You see, if you go too far forward on the boot (or if you lose weight in your legs), the buttons and blocks will touch when the boot is laced.

    My solution: most legs aren't large enough to justify moving the lacing blocks forward, so I always put them tight against the foxing.

    Vertical spacing isn't really that difficult. I like 3/4", 1" max. "But Bill," you might say, "won't that put a lot of buttons up my leg? Wouldn't it be better to space them, say, button - botton block - button - button block...with the blocks a button's width apart?"

    No. Put them close. If they're too far apart, you get an unsightly gap at the ankle and your socks will be visible. Closely spaced, that gap stays closed. Oh, and you'll get better ankle support.

    On to the next page: Making buttons

     

     

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