08/06/2026
Fudging the welt by hand.
Traditionally, a fudge wheel is rolled along the welt to create a continuous decorative crease. In this case, I skipped the wheel entirely.
The welt was machine stitched first, then each individual fudge mark was pressed in by hand, one line at a time. It doesn’t affect the strength of the shoe; it’s purely decorative, but it’s one of those small details that gives traditionally made footwear its finished character.
Sometimes the smallest details take the most time.
