An Irish shoe 700-900 A.D.

These shoes are for men, although they look like women's slippers. They are of the type worn by the figures in the Book of Kells. They are among the most complex one-piece shoe patterns I have ever seen. Click on the patterns for larger images. Enlarge the pattern until your foot fits in the foot outline. At this point I strongly suggest you cut the pattern from heavy vinyl and use it to fit the shoe. You will probably have to make a number of adjustments. The probable construction is as follows:

Stitch the front flap to the main part of the shoe to form the toe. Look at the accompanying illustration. You will have to gather the bottom of the shoe to fit the top. Try to make it as even as possible. Sew down the little flap at 'A'. Sew the heel section together overlapping as shown in figure B. My guess is that there were strings that went through the holes on the sides of the top of the shoe (see illustration) and probably through the holes in the decorated tab in the front to hold the shoe more tightly to the foot.

Source:

Margarethe Hald Primitive Shoes, National Museum of Denmark, 1972.

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