OPANKA HAND STITCH

CONSTRUCTION
With a Western Flair

By PK BootMaker
Botine Charros
All veg tanned
leather, with
elastic ankle
insert and
outside heel,
handstitched
all around.
TRADITIONAL OPANKA
CONSTRUCTION
THE BALKAN REGION SOUTHERN EUROPE
Other Modern Examples
My first
completed
pair.
The project
begins with any
simple cement
construction
style of
shoe/boot.
The last’s
bottom paper
becomes the
insole pattern
I scribed around the insole 15mm
and slightly beveled.
 It was grooved around
then beveled with #4 French edger.
I then proceeded with lasting and toe
boxes, then closing with a
shoemaker’s whip stitch.
 The leather
choosen for soles is
Wickett and Craig
Your text here skirting. Cut to
shape and grooved
around the outside
the perimeter of
bottom paper – The
wing is split to 4-5
ounce
In this case I chose to make a longer rand
to cover my zipper end.
Again using the bottom paper as a
pattern, a sole pad was cut and stitched
to the sole.
 The stitch line on
the wing was then
grooved and soles
attached.
note to self:
Finish sole edge in
shank area and all
around the edge
of forepart before
attaching.
 The upper was lightly scratched and
cemented below the sole line. The
earlier stitch groove was then used as a
guide for the upper stitch line.
 I applied what I was taught about inseaming and
entered the vamp with my awl facing downward
for a good bite through the upper. I then reversed
the awl, avoiding penetrating through the liner,
and exited from the groove.
 The awl exits through the vamp, then
through the groove in the wing. I began at
the ball working toward the toe doing a
shoemaker’s stitch.
Moving along to the end, burning the
ends of the thread at the toe.
This truly is an international hybrid inspired by Facebook. In addition to
the Balkan opanka sole construction, the American Bison and fringe give
the boot a moccasin style. The toe figure has, in the past, been described
as a French toe, and the heel as Cuban. The Mexican round braid at the
top line is a nod to the original inspiration for the project, the Botine
Charros worn by my Mexican Farm worker customers in the Central Coast
of California in the 1970s.
Awl measures 1.5mm
Harness needle Weaver 517-0, heated and curved
Thread 5 cord 60" tapers

The wing, as I am calling it, is dampened after

splitting and turned up to pre-shape.
SPI-The 1st pair, the mules shown above, were
stitched at 3spi. Much too long for the look I
wanted.
Other pairs I have made were 6spi and that looks
more appropriate, though I think 5spi would might
be just right. Obviously, it is the makers choice.
Regarding the spacing of the stitch lines; the
stitch groove on the wing was set at 3mm from
the edge,
the line drawn on the upper for the top row of
stitches was done at 5mm above the edge of
the wing.
I think that fleshier leathers will draw in enough
more to make this is an arbitrary spec.
Regarding the concern about the ends of the
thread; I've seen many soles come loose at the
edges of the tread line where the shoe flexes.
So my choice is to start the stitch at the ball.
This is a closed stitch in that it is the center of
our thread, using a double needle shoemakers
stitch.
Then for the last stitch, I use a lock stitch, and
burn the thread end.
It's against the toe box and I don't believe it's
going anywhere.