The Evolution of Bootleggers LTD

At the beginning of 2015, I was watching an awards show on television.  There was a musical performance by ? and a woman was sitting in a chair playing bongo type drums.  What caught my eye was what she was wearing around her ankle on top of her boot.  It looked like some sort of colorful accessory.  With her simple red button-down shirt and jeans, the thing on her ankle was a perfect fashion complement.

Because this woman was not the lead in the performance, they never zoomed in on her, let alone on her ankle.  I searched the internet for a recording of the performance in the hopes that I might be able to somehow zoom in on it myself.  I did find a recording but I was not able to figure out how to get a non-fuzzy, zoomed in, still image.

I posted the video I found on Facebook, and a friend informed me that it was not a fashion accessory on her ankle, but a percussion instrument.  Still, the image stuck with me.  (Note: Do not use Facebook to archive things you want to save.  I have scrolled through a year of posts, and cannot find the video.)

The first photo you see in the image above is most likely the type of thing the woman in that video was wearing.  I still liked the look of them, but was not sure if I wanted to be heard walking around.  I might feel kinda like a reindeer.

Still, the thought of something colorful tied around the ankle of one of your boots stuck with me.

That brought back the memory of the Saami boots we used to carry at a shop I worked at in town many years ago.  Searching the internet, I found a picture of those boots from an Etsy seller.  They are in the second photo you see listed above.

Since then, I have seen really neat boots with textile trims.  (The nice ones are usually quite expensive.)  This trims are sewn right onto the boot.

Then, I thought about the idea of making that trim interchangeable.  Instead of having a different pair embellished boots to coordinate with each outfit, you could simply wear the same pair of boots and change the trim.  At that point, I set off trying to figure out how they could be made.

Now, after close to a year of trying different options for supplies and construction, the last photo is one of the options I came up with.

If you are interested in any of the photos above, here are the links:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/150438444/ethnic-tribal-beaded-with-bells-ankle?ref=shop_home_active_11

http://www.etsy.com/listing/252610378/norwegian-kids-boots-scandinavian?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=saami%20boots&ref=sr_gallery_11

http://www.etsy.com/listing/268766923/edelweis-bootlegger-textile-boot-anklet?ref=shop_home_active_19

Starting at the Very Beginning

Bootleggers made with Austrian Inspired Jacquard Ribbon

It is hard not to have the first lines of Do Re Mi going through my head as I write this first post.

"Lets start at the very beginning, a very good place to start."  

That is because I would have to say that Salzburg, Austria--where the story of The Sound of Music took place--is also where I first fell in love with braided trims.  I was only in Junior High at the time and on vacation in Europe with my parents and siblings.

We were strolling through the streets of Salzburg and a little fabric shop caught my eye.  Inside, I was in awe of the beauty I found.  There were bolts and bolts of wonderful fabrics and trims used to make Bavarian/Tyrolean dirndls, which is the traditional dress in the region.  Thankfully, I had very patient parents (and my guess would be not so patient siblings) that let me browse through all the wares in search of a favorite something I could purchase.  For what?  I did not know.  Sewing a dirndl was not on my mind.  I simply loved the colors and designs of the textiles.

After sometime in the little shop, I decided on a couple yards of woven ribbon in red and green with hearts.  That ribbon is long lost.  I carried it around forever and I think I finally used it for straps on a red dotted swiss top I made at one time, which probably ended up in a garage sale or Goodwill.  (I should probably note that I have better sewing skills than I did then.  I have also found that a good sewing machine makes a big difference.)

You would think that with all the images there are on the internet today that I might be able to find a picture of some ribbon just like it, but I have had no luck.

Now, many years later, I have come up with a unique way to use all those beautiful ribbons, braids, and trims that are available--namely Bootleggers.

"What is a Bootlegger?" you might ask.  Well, a Bootlegger is actually a textile boot anklet made with stunning ribbon and trims.  (This new definition was made up by me.)  They are totally legal and ethically responsible, and made by fun women for fun women.

I am working on getting a new Etsy shop set up so I can share this fun new venture.  But, after a full day of editing photos and writing copy, I decided that it was time to start up this blog.

It is so amazing to me how things in life seem to circle around again.  As some might say I am in those half a century years, going back to Junior High, this is a pretty big circle!