Slippers, or the start of something new...

Today I attended a leather workshop in Goulburn, NSW and started learning to make shoes.

Table of tools used by our instructors. 

I have been reading all week about making historic turn shoes and hope to use a similar technique to make dance slippers, unless further research turns me in another direction.
I have learnt that different leathers are used for the uppers and soles, and that the leather I most prefer for uppers is called milled double shoulder. I found mine at Tandy leather and it feels so beautiful under the hand.
My goal is to learn to make a simple yet elegant handsewn dance slipper. I will document my progress here over the next few weeks.

The milling process, which produces the supple feel,
also produces a prominent grain that gives items a look of elegance. 

Materials in my box:

Sewing awl with straight and curved needles
Lasts
Waxed thread
Milled double shoulder leather
Pliers
Needles
Sharp blade for cutting leather
Overstitch wheel
Safety Beveler
Stitching Horse

References:

• Butt Stitching Instructions
• A Beginner's Addendum to Making Shoes 
• Shoemaking Blog - from a teacher
• Every Lady Her Own Shoemaker In 1855 an anonymous Lady published a small book of instructions for making shoes at home. Her patterns are for shoes, for ankle-high gaiters with fabric uppers, leather soles, leather heels and toe-caps, for Congress gaiters with an elastic gore instead of a laced opening, and also for a man's slippers. 
• The Art of Hand Sewing Leather 
• Leatherworking Handbook: A Practical Illustrated Sourcebook of Techniques and Projects 
• M. de Garsault's 1767 Art of the Shoemaker: An Annotated Translation (Costume Society of America Series)
• The Art of Boot and Shoemaking: A Practical Handbook Including Measurement, Last-Fitting, Cutting-Out, Closing, and Making
• Shoes and Pattens (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London)
• Oregon Regency Society Miss Charlotte's Shoe Tutorial
• Caroline's attempt to copy a pair of Empress Josephine's shoes
• 1860s shoes by A Graceful Lady