Mary-Janes, in my opinion, are closed-toe shoes in front with an ankle component that is sometimes closed, and sometimes open like a sandal. They can be pointy, round, buckling, or close with a stud. I think they are a great “first-shoe” type project because you get to play around with the fit of the 2 elements (the toe and ankle pieces) to achieve a perfect fit.

The kit comes with nearly everything you need to follow along in designing and creating unique shoes for yourself. A 2hr video accompanies the box of tools + materials, and leads you step-by-step through the process.

They leather I supply is a natural colored veg tan leather that will darken and soften with time, sunshine, and natural oils. You will need to source your own pair of LASTS (shoe forms) to work on. This way, you can find a pair that suits your size and shape needs. But I have recommendations of where to look!

This kit comes with several patterns to choose from, or you can use the patterns as guides to make up your own shapes. The leather pieces included are large and you cut out your shapes so you can make them as specialized as you want.

Includes:

• Medium weight Natural colored veg-tan leather for shoe uppers (approx 3.5 sq feet)

• Thick footbed leather (enough for your size which you will specify)

• Large stiff leather outsoles, to be cut down to size (enough for women's sizes 6-12)

• Stacked leather heel blocks- 5/8th” tall

• Heel nails

• Lasting nails

• Scratch Awl

• Rotary hole punch for leather

• Utility knife w blade (refillable)

• Shoe glue & brushes

• link to 2-hr instructional video by me

• 3 pages of patterns to use as starting-points

• Pliers for lasting

• Hardware: 2 solid brass screw-back studs and set of 8 brass rivets *THE SHOES PICTURED HAVE BUCKLES, BUT IVE DECIDED TO PROVIDE STUDS INSTEAD. JUST EMAIL ME IF YOU'D PREFER BUCKLES!*

• Sourcing list for buying lasts and other supplies for future projects

Does not include:

• Paper (for making variations on patterns)

• Scissors (for cutting paper and sometimes leather- any will do but nice fabric sheers are best)

• Tape (I like any strong tape to secure the straps while adjusting fit),

• Hammer

• Pen or pencil

• Lasts (shoe forms)

Also does not include: An electric table-sander to smooth the edges of the soles toward the end, and again at the very end. It’s possible to get a smooth front edge by using the knife, but you’ll want to do some real sanding to make all the layers at the heel smoothed out at the end of the process. You could bring your shoes to a local cobbler and have them sand the heel edges- this may cost $10-20 and will establish a nice bond between you and your cobbler. Alternatively I suggest you buy (or borrow) a table-top belt-sander for approx $100 and make sandals + shoes forever!

For those who want to use garment leather from their own stash to make their mary janes I now have a pop-up window ask if you would like me to substitute the medium-weight natural uppers with thin 2/3oz weight vegetable tanned upper leather which you would use to line your own 2/3 garment leather to produce a colored, but still wet-formable upper. Video of lining leathers is here ;-)