Slippers

Leimomi Oakes, whose blog is The Dreamstress,  devised a brilliant challenge, The Historical Sew Fortnightly, to encourage people who enjoy sewing and creating historical costuming.  Every other week participants would be challenged to post a creation that met the parameters of the new challenge.  Because all of the participants would recreate the various eras of their choice, there would be cross-communication, which could encourage new creative thinking and new friendships.  In addition, the challenges would serve as a motivating force, a kick in the posterior, to get things made.


I found the challenge well after it had started but decided to join.  Since there is no obligation to complete all of the challenges, I started with the one then due, Peasants and Pioneers.  This was the challenge description

       #5  Peasants and Pioneers: As wonderful as making pretty, pretty princess dresses is, the vast majority of people have always been poor commoners, whether they were peasants working the land, servants in big houses, or (later), pioneers carving their own space in new lands. This fortnight let’s make something that celebrates the common man.

My project of choice was a pair of man's slippers for my husband.  I've been wanting to try my hand at period slippers and this seemed like a good opportunity.  I'd made several pairs of recycled wool slippers in a bulkier shape, so I had some basic confidence that I could accomplish this.


Here are the finished slippers

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Slippers were a popular gift in the 1850s and 1860s.  We find many illustrated patterns for elaborate and beautiful slippers in the fashion magazines such as Godey's Lady's Book and Peterson's Magazine.  Many of those patterns are done in Berlin work (today's needlpoint) or braidwork.  I love my husband dearly and find him worthy of the time I would have to invest, but the pending to-do list simply would not allow me the luxury.  I wanted a pair of slippers he could wear at an immersion event we plan on attending in May.  Those involved will be residents of a small hamlet in rural Illinois.  A simpler workingman's slipper seemed to be what I wanted.  Slippers would have been a comfortable thing to have, to relax in after removing dirty or dusty workshoes.

I knew wool was a common material for slippers.  Durable, breathable, and warm, it would feel good and look good.  I found a lovely red wool flannel skirt at a thrift store -more than enough fabric to make a pair of slippers.  Bright cheery red was also considered to be a warming color; many cold weather accessories were made in red.    For soles, I wanted leather for extra durability and traction.  A supple black leather skirt provided the material for those.  My recycled sweater slippers had showed me how very thin the soles can be and how nice extra padding is, so I felted a merino wool sweater, also from the thrift store. The slipper lining came from a red cotton tunic with an appropriate Indian print (you can't see it in the picture).

There were two main slipper styles, which carry over today.  These were called English and French, according to one magazine source.  The English style slipper, which I chose, has a top made of one piece of fabric, which is sewed to the sole.  The single seam on the top is at the heel.  The French style slipper has an upper constructed of 2 pieces.  Each upper piece is bound separately then and sewn together. There is a separate back piece, which wraps around the heel and then joins the front piece near each side of the ankle.

To make the slipper, I selected a slipper illustration from one of the fashion magazines and enlarged it until it was approximately the size of my husband's foot.  I measured the length of his foot, the circumference, and the width of the ball of his foot and adjusted my pattern to fit.  I checked it all against a modern pair of slippers.  After making a pattern muslin and adjusting it, I cut it all out from the fashion fabric.

Because I wanted the sides to have some substance, I chose to layer cotton batting in the uppers.  The Workwoman's Guide had instructions for quilted slippers that suggested using a contrasting thread.  I decided that would be my ornamentation.  I quilted the batting to the tops in shallow 1" diamonds using a royal blue thread.  I made sure the patterns were aligned, so if he put his feet next to each other, the diamonds would flow in a straight line across both feet.  Overly fussy, I know.  Then I sewed the lining to the quilted top.  I decided not to quilt the lining so it would remain smooth on his feet.

To finish the slippers I sewed the upper to the leather sole.  I found it worked best by hand. The heel was the most difficult section, since I had to accomodate seam.  Then I slip stitched the lining together at the heel.

To make the insoles, I cut 2 layers of the felted wool sweater for each foot and sewed them together to provide a little extra cushion.  I sewed the insoles to the sole lining and inserted it into the sole.  Leaving the insole separate allows me to add additional padding if necessary.


Challenge Details

The Challenge:  # 5 Peasants and Pioneers

Fabric: wool flannel, soft supple leather, red printed cotton broadcloth, cotton batting, a merino wool sweater, washed and dried in the dryer to felt it.

Pattern: From Godey's magaine, based off many period slippers

Year:   1860s

Notions:  thread

How historically accurate is it?   pretty accurate.  The felted insoles were my idea - I have no documentation for them.  I rationalize that they will be hidden and are worth it.

Hours to complete:   I worked on these off and on over several days.  The quilting took an entire tv broadcast of a college football game.  Assembling took another game.  

First worn:  They haven't been worn yet.  I think he's saving them for the event.

Total cost:   Because all of the materials except the thread and the cotton batting came from thrift stores, my total cost was no more than $10.