Snowflake Mukluks

This pair of mukluks is part one of two for this order. Next up is a matching pair of baby girl mukluks! Should have the complete order out the door on Monday. Looking forward to seeing the reaction when I hand them over!

This pair includes grey rabbit fur, black suede leather, sheepskin insole, satin lining, crepe rubber, glass seed beads and plastic pony beads....and not shown but always included, the crepe rubber sole!

Mukluk Workshops! Register Now!

So I am finally ready to start a mukluk workshop! I will be teaching with one of my great friends and the woman who originally taught me, Gloria Beckman Ross.

This five week course follows you step by step through the process of creating your own unique footwear. Classes will be held weekly on Thursday evenings, start date to be confirmed (mid October). The cost of the course is $150 per person. This does not include the cost of supplies which will be approximately $100. A supply list will be provided as well as a list of places to shop. 

If you are in the Winnipeg area and interested in learning to make a pair of mukluks please contact me via email!

More and more mukluks...

Recently finished two more pairs of mukluks, both with rabbit fur. So here's just a quick post with pictures.

Currently I cannot take anymore orders to be ready before Christmas. I have a lot on the go. Depending on how quickly I can get the projects done I may have time for a pair or two in December, if you are interested please contact me and I can put your name on a wait list.

Get ready to shop!

Finally have a shop open on etsy.com! If you are interested in ordering mukluks or would like to buy one of my paintings please click on the shop option above or visit: etsy.com/shop/CarmenAvenue

I will have prints, postcards, greeting cards and calanders available soon!

Coyote Mukluks & Moccasins

Well it has definitely been a while since I have updated the blog! June was unbelievably busy and the beginning of July has not been much different. However I still have been working! I recently completed a sewing project, a beautiful pair of coyote mukluks and moccasins. Quite possibly the best ones I have ever made! I have absolutely fallen in love with mukluks all over again. They are such a labour of love and I literally put blood, sweat and sometimes tears into them.

To me the process is not simply making a shoe or a boot. It is a journey of creation, spirituality and appreciation of nature as I contemplate the lives of the animals whose hides and furs I use. I thank the creator for my talents and ask the spirits of the animals to walk with the mukluks and moccasins I make.

Not only are mukluks extremely beautiful, but if correctly made they are the warmest footwear available. The Inuit of the north call them 'kamiks' and are traditionally made of caribou or seal hide. However different cultural traditions have led to a wide variety of styles and materials used. I typically work with cow hide and as cost dictates, customers usually opt for the inexpensive rabbit fur. All of my products are lined with sheepskin. I would highly recommend that if you purchase mukluks that they have this, synthetic lining is cheaper...and you get what you pay for, not nearly as warm. All outdoor footwear also comes with a rubber crepe sole for durability on concrete streets.

Here is a sample of an ad I have placed, and please if you are interested in purchase email me! I will do my best to ship to anywhere in the world and we can negotiate price and payment options! 


"Lovingly handcrafted with the finest attention to detail, my products are all 100% hand stitched, completely customised to your taste, and never duplicated. Truly one of a kind footwear that will keep you warm in the coldest weather. 

Through traditional methods and spirituality I strive to honor the creator and the animals that give their lives in everything I do. I was taught by my aboriginal elder and my work is deeply meaningful to me.

Don't settle for mass produced, machine made muks and mocs. This craft is an art form full of soul and passion!

Price reflects type of leather and fur, as well as the complexity of the bead work." 


Kinanaskomiten!

Ethical Fur?

As a Canadian living in a climate that can at times be severely harsh, and with an large Aboriginal community around me, it is not often that I am confronted with the question, "Is fur ethical?" I understand that a lot of people are opposed to the idea of using fur and other animal products in craft and for fashion, especially all the Non-Canadians following my blog. So I thought I would explain to you a few of the reasons why I believe that fur is ethical.

First and foremost I believe that hunting is the most natural way to gain food and clothing, we are allowing nature to provide for us with out mass producing synthetic materials or pumping our bodies full of all the by-products and preservatives that are found in commercial products. The factories that produce our clothing and the material that it is made of, often pump large amounts of pollution into our world and underpay and take advantage of the workers.

Secondly I believe that the use of furs and hide in craft and for clothing supports a traditional way of life for many people, Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal alike. Although I am not an Aboriginal person I highly respect their culture and believe their traditional way of is one of the most sustainable and eco-friendly ways of living.

Third, in a cold climate, fur is often the most effective way of keeping warm. My moose and fox mukluks have never let me down in the winter, and when they become worn I can repair them myself instead of going out and buying a new pair shoes.

I have many more reasons that I could give you to explain my reasons why I do believe that fur is an ethical, green and sustainable material but if you are interested in reading further please go to the following link:

Fur is Green

Mukluks & Etc.. Works in Progress

Since I have been primarily working on my sewing projects over the past few days I thought I would share a little bit of what I have been doing. Here are some pictures of the works in progress as well as the materials I have been using!

Here is my cat, Louis asleep on the furs while I work! Such a sweet little man!

 In the works, little mukluks for Sophie using chocolate cow hide, sheepskin lining and grey rabbit fur. 

 

The beginning of a large project for a lovely girl, Andrea Bjorklund. She has ordered mukluks, moccasins and mitts! All in black suede leather, coyote fur and sheepskin lining as show in the picture to the left.

A sample of the furs and leathers that I have. From left coyote, silver fox, sheepskin, muskrat, rabbit, black and chocolate leather and a raccoon tail at the bottom!

I Heart Mukluks!

Several years ago, while attending Argyle Alternative I met a wonderful woman, Gloria. At the time she was working as a daycare provider in the school, looking after my daughter Ashley while I finished high school. Argyle has a strong focus on Aboriginal culture, however I found Gloria to be the most influencing. Besides her work at the daycare (which she as since left) she also is highly involved in rejuvenating the true essence of Aboriginal culture amongst the youth in our city. She teaches various classes, including how to make mukluks, I was fortunate enough to get private instruction, and made a beautiful pair of moose hide, fox fur and sheep skin mukluks!

This picture isn't the greatest at showcasing how beautiful the boots actually were but it's the only one I really have (plus I look kinda good here). The hide I bought from the Winnipeg Trading Post in the North End, and the fox fur was recycled from a coat I found at Value Village. For those of you who don't know Value Village is a large chain of thrift stores in Canada. Unfortunately last year my giant dog, Oslo the Great Pyrenees, ripped the fur to shreds. Definitely unable to buy new fox fur. I opted to cut up the rest of the coat, which was muskrat fur and recover the boots with that. They are not at all as beautiful as they once were, but they look alright and I am kind of impressed with my resourcefulness on this project. I will be making more as soon as I have the money to buy hide, and I will be keeping a look out for cheap second hand fur coats!