Moccs

**Just a quick reminder!  There’s a Luce Leather giveaway happening on our Instagram page that ends tonight at 8pm!  Nicole of Luce Leather has generously offered to give away a Magnificat cover that she made herself!  It’s so beautiful!  If you don’t read or don’t have a Magnificat, enter anyway!  Christmas is coming and if you win, it’d make a great gift!**

And speaking of leather…

Baby moccasins are the hot new thing!  Haven’t you heard/seen?  I have to admit, I wasn’t fond of them at first but I think they’ve rubbed off on me after seeing them alllll over Instagram.  But, when it comes to baby shoes, I have a pretty tight wallet.  My kids (maybe most kids?) are in a new shoe size every 4-6 months so hand-me-downs, clearance, and thrift stores are where we shoe shop.  Leather moccs can run anywhere from $45 to $60+ a pair and faux leather ones can be found on Etsy for $15+.  Our budget right now told me “no, you can’t buy any baby moccs” so I took matters into my own hands and made some!  Look!

My friend Jesse came over on Monday last week after bedtime and we chatted, drank wine, and sewed our littlest tots a pair of moccs.  She made hers out of the leather skirt I wore with The Traveling Scarf (that she got at Goodwill for $1!) and I made mine out of a leather vest (that I found at Goodwill for $4).  I forgot to take a picture of the vest before, but here’s what was/is left of it:I still have almost the entire back of the vest left so if anyone has any ideas on what to make out of it, toss ‘em my way!

Here are the moccs we made that night almost finished:

We used this pattern and this tutorial, combined with this tutorial, and a lot of our own tweaking.  I didn’t take pictures to write a tutorial but I’m planning on making some more as Seb grows and maybe even some moccs for the girls and when I do, I’ll make sure to document every step.  It was surprisingly simple even though the thought of making baby shoes is totally intimidating.  If I didn’t have Jesse by my side, holding my hand the whole way, my moccs might not have turned out as good but thankfully I did and the next pair will be even easier to whip up.

I’m still trying to convince Anthony that they’re cute though!  He thinks they look a tad too girly.

Maybe it’s the fringe?  I might have to trim it to win his admiration. 

While the moccs turned out great (despite their potential girly-ness), I learned that next time I need to use a thicker leather.  The leather I used was super soft which would be great for a crib shoe version; not for a mover and shaker.  I took Sebastian out to the front porch to crawl around the day after I made them and just from dragging his feet across the concrete, they scuffed up pretty easily.  See the roughed up top?

Jesse made a second pair using an old leather purse she cut up and they seem more durable.  Aren’t they so cute?  I am in love with the scallops vs. fringe for girls!  

Here’s hoping I’ll have some time to make some more soon so stay tuned!  If you’re not interested in sewing your own, check out these mocc makers:
>>Freshly Picked
Susan was on Shark Tank with her moccs, got a deal, and now they’re arguably the most popular moccs on the market but run on the higher-priced end.  You can find them all over the blogging world and there’s always a giveaway somewhere so keep your eyes peeled!
>>The Coral Pear
Amanda’s leather moccs are slightly less expensive and oh-so-cute!
>>The Striped Arrow
Courtney makes faux leather moccs that are really affordable and has some good sales that you’ll find out about if you follow her on Instagram!
>>Gracious May
You can find the cutest, fringed moccasin boots at Gracious May.  Their prices are up around those of Freshly Picked though but once you see the boots, it’s mighty tempting to splurge.
>>KaBoogie
Audrey makes moccs and mocc boots out of reclaimed leather and they’re a lot cheaper than similar moccs and so stylish!  They’re also styled a little differently than other moccs out there which I appreciate!


Are there any moccasin shops you’ve come across that you love?  Or have you found a great pattern and made your own?  Please share!