The Amazing Stuff

Back in the day, people used to buy shoes and wear them until a cobbler could no longer fix them. These days, shoes are made cheaply, sold cheaply, and thrown away when there’s even the slightest imperfection.

Redditor rk5n eschews this throwaway culture in favor of making their own footwear. The master shoemaker just made a pair of boots completely from scratch using a delicate, slow, and time-honored process that dates back over a century.

First, two identical shapes of leather are cut from different hides.

The rest of the insole is measured and cut, with nails added to keep everything in place.

The next thing that’s cut is the leather for the inside of the shoe.

The same is done for the exterior.

Those pieces of leather are then assembled and stitched.

Next, the insole is nailed in. At this point, the inner and outer portions are attached.

Things are starting to look pretty now.

All portions, including the tongue and side panels, are sewn together by hand.

The toe is formed with a metal mallet.

Here’s the progress up to this point.

Now, the sole has to be added.

How awesome is this custom tread?

All excess materials are then trimmed away.

All finished!

These things are so amazing.

(source: Reddit)

I never thought I would try my hand at shoemaking, but after seeing this, I’m ready to give it a go. After all, I’m in the market for a new pair of boots. The ones I have now have survived ten winters, but I think it’s time for us to part ways.

Hand-me-down furniture is great, especially when you’re young and moving into your first apartment. While secondhand furniture comes with a certain charm, it can also carry a nice series of scratches and dents. But with a little elbow grease, you can turn old furniture into something new, and totally customized!

One couple inherited this coffee table from a relative, and they decided to put their own personal spin on it. They turned the worn-out piece into an awesome ottoman.

This was the coffee table.

The sentimental value was there, but it had definitely seen better days.

The finish was pretty scratched up.

It was too big for their place, and they didn’t like the overall look of it, but they still saw potential.

To begin the transformation, they first marked the center of the table as a reference point.

The table was slightly large, so they trimmed the edges down with a router.

In all, they made the diameter smaller by about four inches.

The edges were rounded out for a more polished look, too.

The couple wanted to add some buttons to the finished product, so they drilled a few holes in preparation.

Next, the pair used a little teamwork to measure the fabric and foam that would cover the top of the table.

The foam was then attached using a strong adhesive spray.

An electric knife sliced right through it. That was probably a totally satisfying experience.

Batting was added on top of the foam to make it even softer.

Leftover fabric was used to cover the buttons.

You’ll need a little sewing know-how to recreate this project.

Once the cover was complete, it was stapled along the bottom of the table.

Voilà!

Pretty, isn’t it?

Here it is in their living room!

The buttons have yet to be added, and they’d like to shorten the legs a bit so it lines up with the couch, but it’s still pretty fabulous!

Good furniture doesn’t have to be boring or impersonal, but it doesn’t have to be expensive, either. And a handmade touch makes anything so much better.

If you have a few old pieces knocking around, look a little more closely to see if they have potential. You might be pleasantly surprised!