SCA: "New" Viking Shoes FTW + Bonus Project

 So my Viking shoes, which I love*, had seen better days.  After two years of running around dusty events, the leather was dirty and stained and dry, and the laces were too thick, too short, and never stayed tied.  (I actually cut them off short because they kept coming undone, and then literally the day after I did that, I saw someone with the same shoes, with the laces tied up around her ankles, and I thought, why didn't I think of doing that before I chopped them off??  Argh).  

I kept thinking I'd eventually get to the leather store to get new laces for them, but then it dawned on me that I could just WEAVE some on my inkle loom!  Et voila: 

On the left is the old shoe.  On the right is the new teal inkle-woven lace.  I took the opportunity to clean and condition the leather as well, and I replaced the navy stitching with teal thread to match the laces.  

No socks, aaaa! 

It was a quick and easy fix, and now my shoes are both more functional and prettier.  I can't wait to wear them next month when events start happening again! 

Bonus Project: 

I also made a new belt for myself: 

I recently ordered some "Rainbow Lace" #10 cotton crochet thread from Hobbii - I used it for both the belt and the shoe laces and shoe stitching.  It's soft and smooth and lovely to work with, and it comes in a zillion awesome colors.  

These two projects were the 4th and 5th inkle weaving projects I've done; and this belt is the first time I've done a multi-colored weaving project.  It took for EVER to warp up the loom with all the stripes, but I really love the way it came out. It's long enough to wrap around me twice. 

~ fin ~

*If you're wondering, they're the Vlaardingen shoes from Bohemond, and they're available in brown and black, both with white stitching.