Making Moccasins with Mom: A New Twist on Back to School Shoe Shopping
It's a familiar story. Fall is here, teachers are readying their classrooms for new faces, and families are preparing for the approaching school year. Backpacks are being stocked with freshly-sharpened pencils, folders are being personalized with bright stickers, and closets and drawers are being gutted and appraised to find the gaps left by the growth, wear, and forgetfulness of last year. Parents round up scattered shoes, long-forgotten in the barefoot/flip-flop days of summer... only to discover that the heat seems to have shrunk them all to a fraction of the size of the "little" feet they once protected. Time is short... what's a parent to do?
For most families, this yearly growth spurt is solved by a quick (hopefully!) trip to the store. The Salcido family, however, takes a different approach. When her 6-year-old daughter Olympia needed new classroom shoes for Preschool, Softstar Co-Owner Tricia Salcido brought her into the workshop to design herself a pair of moccasins. Once the hard work of selecting leather colors was finished (whew!) Trish and Oly teamed up to make the vibrant vision a reality (with a little help from the Elves). Oly was able to follow her moccasins all the way from her mind to her feet, and we thought we'd share her journey with you as well!
First step: Clicking out the leather with Keita.
Next comes glue and elastic prep with Elf Liz.
Time to put it all together...uh-oh, more decisions to make! Once Oly's thread color is picked, Katie demonstrates how to shape these leather pieces into something that looks a bit like a shoe.
Moccasins are sewn inside-out which means they need to be turned the right way. It takes big muscles, but this strong girl can handle it!
Elastic-threading and finishing touches with Mom...oh, and a celebratory hug, of course 🙂
Do you and your child learn, experiment, or create together? Please share!
Related Posts:
- The History of Softstar: 30 Years of Shoemaking
- Top 10 Balance Games for Kids...Of All Ages!
- Time to Play! Elves Get Creative at Playday 2015
Jana is a marketing strategist, writer, and editor passionate about promoting businesses making a positive impact. She holds a Master’s of Business Administration with a Sustainability emphasis, and she has proudly put her training and experience to use connecting health seekers with brands and services that improve their lives. Her specialities include copywriting, brand development, content strategy, on-page SEO, and social media. She lives in Eugene, Oregon with her husband, toddler, adorable dog, and well-fed cat.
