Mukluk Patterns?

[christian]

I want to make a pair of muckluks for my wife for christmas,

Does anyone have a pattern that they wouldent mind sharing, hand drawn is okay, or do you think that the pattern that Mossurri River offers (high top moc) would be pretty equivalant?

Book reccomendations are fine too!

Any ideas are welcomed..

Thanks!

[powwowbum49]

Christian

The Missouri River pattern you mentioned is not a mukluk in the slightest way. Mukluks are the winter shoes/boots of the Inuit peoples. For those that are not from these bands many things are called mukluks that are not. This is also the case within the Inuit themselves because most outsiders refer to all Inuit boot as mukluks when actually there are more than just mukluks ... like gawak's and gumic's which may or may not have traditional style seal skin soles are used on some of the shoes that are used for spring and fall when the water hasn't frozen yet.

Are you making these for your wife to put up on display or for her to use? If they are for use then you need to consider where your wife will be using these 'mukluks' cause she will not be able to use them outside in Maine, and they will be too dang hot for inside the house. You do not have the right kinda weather for this type of boot. Mukluks are made for use where the ground is fully frozen and there is almost 0 relative humidity in the air and that for sure aint Maine. The high arctic where these type shoes come from is semiarid...even with all the snow you see. I understand it gets cold in Maine but not nearly -30 (which can be pretty warm in the winter) and below (like down to -60) that Mukluks are made to be used in. In your area the mukluks will get wet and thus leave your wife with frost bite or at least damn cold feet.

I will see if can get some pic's to post of my wife's Mukluks and gawaks so you can see what I am talking about. Also once we finish the gumic my wife's grandmother gave to her to make for me I will post a pic of them. I will also check for some other pics that I might be able to scan and post.

We do have patterns and there are even book that describe how to make them...but I think you might not actually be wanting mukluks and just be calling something else by that name...especially if you think that the pattern you mentioned might even remotely substitute for mukluks. That pattern is to make boots with hard soles designed to protect the feet and calves from brush and thorns found on the plains and plateaus of the US, and not the bone chilling winters of the high arctic.

[christian]

Thank you for the great info powwow bum!

I was hoping that I could make something that she could actually wear, not really as snowboots, but just every once in a while...

As you could tell, I hadnt done a whole bunch of reasearch on it, I used to come to this board quite often a few years ago, and then when the idea surfaced to make a pair, I just figured Id come and get info here.

Any pictures that you dont mind sharing would be wonderfull, still.


Thanks again!

Christian

[Blackbear]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1889963127/qid=1100383647/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-3382583-2758415?v=glance&s=books

shows you how to make a mukluk pattern for yourself as well. I own this book and I absolutely love it!

[Burntfinger]

Thank you for the great info powwow bum!

I was hoping that I could make something that she could actually wear, not really as snowboots, but just every once in a while...

As you could tell, I hadnt done a whole bunch of reasearch on it, I used to come to this board quite often a few years ago, and then when the idea surfaced to make a pair, I just figured Id come and get info here.

Any pictures that you dont mind sharing would be wonderfull, still.


Thanks again!

Christian

I know these aren't mukluks, but there's a book called "The Voyagers' Sketchbook" which gives a pattern for winter boots which are really warm AND waterproof. I would offer to loan you my copy, but someone seems to have borrowed it!

[christian]

Thanks for the info Blackbear!


Burntfinger-Thats very kind of you to offer, thanks for the info as well!


Christian