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Michelle Quick

@mbqhandmade

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Footwear and Accessory Designer / Maker / Educator
Pattern Engineer at @adidasoriginals
@dontevictpdx member

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FROM THE ARCHIVES:
I made myself this pair of shoes back in 2021 as an exercise in upcycling single shoe samples /upper components into wearable shoes.
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It was a way for me to add value to materials that would otherwise be discarded but also an outlet to bring elements of my day job in footwear production into my personal shoemaking practice, which often feel at odds with each other.
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The process involved deconstructing multiple samples and uppers > sorting for color > patchworking them into panels for assembly. I tried to make them relatively symmetrical which was a challenge but I like that they match without being identical, which I played up with the mismatched laces.
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I was definitely inspired by other makers and sneaker decon/recons out there but tried to let the materials lead the process and find interesting ways to connect/layer parts.
#sneakerreconstruction
#upcycling
#shoemaking by @mbqhandmade

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5 years ago

Continuing on my focus of upcycling and using materials I already have as inspiration for projects. . .
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I had lots of upper components from work piling up and wanted to find a meaningful way to use them.
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This piece is made with parts from all the different Forum silhouettes I worked on in my first two seasons with the adidas Originals Basketball team. It may look very random but I can tell you what shoe each part is from (the joy of being a pattern engineer) and it holds a lot of memories from all the work that went into developing each product.
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It was tedious work figuring out the layout, like putting together a puzzle with pieces that don't actually fit together, but I really got into it and am happy to have this momento to display. It was also refreshing to work on something purely visual, without having to consider function.
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Materials: shoe components- leather, textile, synthetic, webbing, thread

#sneakerart #adidasforum #upcycling by @mbqhandmade

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5 years ago

I'm slowly starting to get back into making leather goods. A big focus for me as I move back into this practice is to work with materials I already have and use them as a starting point for my design process.
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This bag started when I was sorting through all the leather swatch books I've amassed over the last few years and I had a whole pile of different textures and finishes on white leather. I wanted to build a patchwork material, but bring in a nod to sneaker construction with the edge-to-edge zigzag seaming.
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Swipe to see the details and some process pics.

#patchworkleather #handmadetote #handbagmaker #upcycling #designprocess by @mbqhandmade

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5 years ago

I'd have to say that my biggest creative outlet during the last year or so has been garment sewing. It feels good to switch gears after working on footwear all week and even though there are similarities, it activates a different part of my brain. I find it very nostalgic and grounding, since I learned to sew clothing as a pre-teen from my mom and great-grandmother, long before I got into shoemaking and leather working.
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It's also been a great way to explore my personal style and be more thoughtful about what I want to wear.
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Here are 4 looks I made over the past 6 months (you can see my backyard through the different seasons, and my hair in various shades of purple tint)
1. #nikkotop in neon rib knit, #olyashirt in checked linen, #101trousers in linen blend
2. #selfdrafted top in checker rayon, another #nikkotop in jersey
3. hacked #basicinstinctshirt in cotton rib knit, #101trouser in linen blend
4. hacked #moodginkgopattern and #selfdrafted pants in matching ecovero twill print
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Would love to hear if anyone else has taken on new (or old!) hobbies/creative practices during the pandemic. I'm definitely still thinking of future shoe and bag projects but it has been nice to shift focus for a bit. by @mbqhandmade

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5 years ago

So happy to have these portraits hung up together.
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@cpowers_mx_mix and I commissioned our talented friend @candanceparton to paint these of the three cats we have had to say goodbye to together over the years.
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The way that she was able to capture each of their individual quirks and personality is uncanny. It's such a special feeling to have these in our space as a reminder of all the memories we had with Sam, Peppers, and Baby D.
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If you are in the market for a portrait of a loved one, I highly recommend @candanceparton . The detail and care she puts in to each piece is incredible. Thanks for you for creating these for us Candance! by @mbqhandmade

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Sharing some recent shoe collages and reflecting on creative energy/productivity.
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It's been a while since I have worked on anything footwear related outside of my day-job (which is shoes all day, everyday).
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I have definitely felt a lack of creative energy both due to covid-related conditions/social issues and to many life changes in the past two years - moving across country, then to another state and going back into an industry job after teaching for almost a decade.
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I started to realize that shoemaking was very wrapped up in productivity for me, making orders for clients, preparing demos for classes, always focusing on the final outcome. I've found myself seeking other creative outlets - baking, gardening, garment sewing, sketching - that don't feel as tied to productivity. But I really miss shoemaking, so I wanted to find a way to just have fun with it and not worry about having a finished product at the end.
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So I decided to go through all my old material experiments, and just let myself play and explore by draping these collages on the last. Maybe they'll be a starting point for some new designs or projects, but if not that's ok - they got me back in my shoemaking space and were really fun to make😊 Swipe to see the two collages and the pile of materials I used to make them.
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I'd love to hear from anyone else with a creative practice, how has it been impacted over the last year+, has your approach or need to be 'productive' shifted? by @mbqhandmade

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5 years ago

Sharing how I tape a last using 6in wide making tape.
This method can be quicker and give a smoother surface than using multiple layers of narrow tape, but it can take a while to get used to handling the wide tape and getting it smooth on the last.
Apologies for going out of frame sometimes, but hopefully the process is still clear.
I added step by step text during the time lapse portion and you should be able to access auto-generated captions in your settings if needed for the other portions.
Let me know if there are any other videos you want to see for footwear design/construction process.

#footweardesign
#shoemakingprocess #shoemaking #shoelast #patternmaking #shoemaker by @mbqhandmade

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6 years ago

Follow along as I build a storage rack to hang shoe lasts on. by @mbqhandmade

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6 years ago

I'm finally moved into permanent housing in Portland and have begun unpacking my studio, going through all the tools, supplies, and old projects. I have so many old mock ups or demo projects that I hang on to, but that don't get much use for various reasons. I've been thinking of ways I can upcycle some of them. . .
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This was a (pretty rough) mock up for a custom bag I made for a client years ago. I needed to test the strap construction, pocket placement, and overall assembly order. I left out zippers, hardware and didn't do any proper finishing. I used a thin veg tan that was pretty dry and rigid (it mimicked the saffiano the final bag was made of pretty well).
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I love the overall silhouette and don't mind the rough finishing but the leather was very dry and stiff with lots of imperfections, so it needed some love. Luckily I had recently picked up some leather balm from @maadgoods (handmade in LA!) , which was the perfect treatment to soften the leather and give a subtle shine that really brings it to life. I even used it to seal and burnish the raw edges. What I like most about this balm is that it doesn't darken the leather, so you still get that lovely pale veg tan color.
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I'll definitely be using this bag more (on the rare occasions that I go somewhere. . .) and look forward to reworking some other projects soon.

#leatherwork #leatherbalm #vegtan #handbagmaker taken in Portland, Oregon by @mbqhandmade

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Here are the final shoes I've been working on.
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I love how they collapse once taken off the last and that they take shape again when they're on the foot. 〰️
These are exactly what I wanted, super comfortable and just so easy to slip on and off but still make a visual impact. Also they hit that sweet spot for me where the main design features are highlighting the material and construction (which are very minimal in this case). 〰️
Thanks for following along in the process. This year had been one of big transitions for me (moving cross country, major job change, among other things) and I have not had time or capacity for many shoemaking projects. This was a really great project for myself to recalibrate. Can't wait to work on more projects soon . . . after moving again lol
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#shoemaking #handmadeshoes #minimalfootwear #shoemaker by @mbqhandmade

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