Cloth Moccasins

[rednbloo]

I've been wanting to make my little girl some moccasins for like EVER! (well she's only 2) and well I was gonna make them out of leather but decided that she would grow out of them so fast that it would just go to waste

My question is, what is the best fabric to use and how would I construct them

Megwetch
~rednbloo~

[yaahl]

Try canvas or trade cloth.

[Tibiki Kinew]

I've been wanting to make my little girl some moccasins for like EVER! (well she's only 2) and well I was gonna make them out of leather but decided that she would grow out of them so fast that it would just go to waste

My question is, what is the best fabric to use and how would I construct them

Megwetch
~rednbloo~

if it were me, I would still use leather and yes bead them. In a while they will go behind glass as a keepsake and when she gets old enough you can gift them back to her as her first mocs,,, I think that would be a mother daughter bond that you can take pride in as you sit and make them and when you look in through the glass door of it sitting on a shelf when she no longer fits in them.... so to cloth ewwwwwwwwwwwwww no way! Do not forget the nice fur trim either!!!!! Pleasant memories are made of these.

[wyo_rose]

Yeah, cloth mocs are uncomfortable, and will fall apart very quickly.

That's the excuse that my girls' grandmas gave for not making them mocs...they'll outgrown them. Well...they could have been passed around, passed down and my little granddaughters would have some to wear right now. Not to mention having a keepsake from childhood, a NICE keepsake!

You can make mocs for kids, to "grow into"...at least the plains style pattern, I'm not sure about other styles.

But if you must use cloth, you can still use commercial buckskin or latigo for the soles. I have made some before, using WonderUnder to bond 2 layers of canvas together, then edged the whole cloth top with bias tape. Then sewed the sole on....which should be edged with bias tape too, if it's cloth, before putting together.

[rednbloo]

Thanks for the advice, I think I'll do that and give em to her when she's older :)

[Tibiki Kinew]

Thanks for the advice, I think I'll do that and give em to her when she's older :)

I actually have started a collection of todler mocs that look like they were never worn. The best show the amount of love a person has put into them and now I have a few pair where I can show them as examples on how to... as well to be honest it needs to be remembered and yes kept for future generations so that it isn't forgotten or tossed by the wayside. I actually found mine in mom's dresser and together with a pic of me wearing them.... tooo good to let them stay there I thanked her for her thinking in spirit since she has crossed over. It is momemts like this where I can reach back and yes feel the love she passed to me. Now in this day and age we are consumer driven,,, if it breaks,, wtf, replace it. No one seems to see that all this trash adds up and piles up on mother earth, so if we have a few folks that make something special that will last for generations dang that is so hot to show that we care in so many ways.

Glad that you are going the extra mile so to speak to honour not only your daughter but YOUR love for her which is a true sign of respect. Never cut corners if you mean it! I send you my prayers and blessings as you take the time to make them!!!!

[OneBead]

Ahhh about to make some for my little one!

we should post our work :) (heheh when/if mine is finished lol)

[rednbloo]

why thanks so much you guys for the advice.

Imma have to post pics when I get them done :)

[wyo_rose]

OK, after I just got done dissing cloth mocs........I made 2 pairs Friday morning for my granddaughters to wear with their new outfits for the Indian Day school powwow.

Made them both in under an hour, cut the soles out of commercial buckskin, cut the uppers out of a layer of canvas fused with WonderUnder to the fancy material, used an extra wide seam allowance, and zigzagged the soles to the uppers.

[wyo_rose]

Never say never!! I have made more cloth mocs in the past 2 months, than I've made the past 20 years!!!

[pearljam94]

so when you zig zag them, is there going to be a small edging on the sides of the mox all the way around? is there any way you can show me a picture?? thanks, that would be so helpful

[wyo_rose]

Yes, it will have an edge, then tuurn it right side out. I'll look for one to take a pic

[Ketzalitzli]

Try canvas or trade cloth.

Trade cloth would be alright but its real expensive tho unless someone gives you some.

[rednbloo]

Made my niece some cloth moccasins and I lined the inside with suede, and she loved them, never tried trade cloth but canvas is really good to work with

[yaahl]

Trade cloth would be alright but its real expensive tho unless someone gives you some.

Most folks only use it for the vamp and then use the canvas for the foot/sole part.

My people have used cloth for parts of the mocs for centuries... :)