Raffia and Cattail Sandals
(Page 3 of 4)
May/June 1985
By the Mother Earth News editors
MAKING THE THONG AND BAND
RELATED CONTENT
In the left-hand photo, each sandal has a looped thong between the toes and a band that runs through the loop and across the foot. To make the loop, bundle about eight strips of raffia. Wrap a 1-1/2"- to 2"-long portion of the bundle into a narrow rod, then bind its two ends together to make the loop. Secure the weaver with several half hitches (Fig. 5), and tie together several of the core's dangling ends as extra protection against the possibility of the loop's pulling apart. Place your foot on the sandal sole and choose the spot for the loop-this most likely will be in the second groove (left or right depending on the foot) from the center groove. With the yarn needle or a small, strong latch hook, draw the dangling ends of the loop through the coils and blend them in under the sole. Finally, thread the loose end of the weaver onto the needle and sew the loop firmly in place.
The band consists of two narrow cores of raffia (6-8 strips each) which have been lashed together far enough to allow the strap to go from midsole on one side, through the loop, and back to midsole on the other side—leaving the ends unwrapped. Use full-length raffia strips and trim them later to the desired length.
To begin fashioning the band, select a long, strong weaver, and, leaving a tail about 10"-12" long, wrap the weaver around the tips of the two bundles at one end, binding them firmly together. With the figure-8 knotting technique (Fig. 6), lash the two bundles together into a double rod; after you've made 15 to 20 knots, start pulling them along the rods until the knots have been stretched approximately I" apart but are still holding the rods together. Slide the band through the toe loop and try on the sandal. Find the place on either side of the sole where the band should be fastened for the greatest comfort. Clamp one end of the knotted section to the sole at one fastening point. Wrap the weaver tightly around the two rods at the far end of the band at its fastening point—thus finishing off the knotted section—and clothespin it in place.
Choose one end of the band and begin wrapping the loose strands of raffia to the underside of the sole's outermost coil (Fig. 7).
Use the wraparound technique so that the strands are blended in. Continue until you reach midheel, then taper the strands and finish off the wrapping as you did when finishing the sole. Repeat this procedure with the other end of the band . . . and that completes your splittoe sandal.
VIABLE VARIATIONS
Cattail leaves lend themselves to designs that require flat, firm strips, such as woven or braided bands. An attractive scuff sandal can be made by attaching a wide band of woven bulrush strips to the basic sole. Four or five strips can be pushed down between the lashed coils on the outside edge of the sole and woven into the underside of the sandal. Another cattail blade is then used to weave back and forth across the strips to make the band (secure its ends as you would the cross strips).
