Hand sewing the upper is a demanding and meticulous process. At first glance, especially through pictures, it may appear straightforward—but don’t be fooled. The reality is far more complex. The precision required is immense; even the slightest mistake can crack the leather or skew the stitching. When that happens, the upper is ruined—there’s no going back. But when executed with skill, hand sewing the upper results in a refined, elegant finish that far surpasses the machine-stitched alternative, which, in my opinion, lacks character and grace.

In this post, we’re fortunate to witness two styles of hand sewing the upper, demonstrated by the talented Eiji Murata of Main D’or. The first method is the traditional boat shoe-style hand stitch, as seen in the images above. This involves joining two separately cut leather pieces—in this case, the heel counters—and stitching them together into a seamless whole. This technique, while not necessarily simple, may be somewhat more forgiving than the second method we’ll explore.

Interestingly, Eiji performs this stitching directly on the flat upper pieces. This contrasts with the technique I learned at Stefano Bemer, where hand sewing the upper was done after the entire upper had been assembled and pre-lasted. Eiji’s approach minimizes risk; should an error occur, only a single vamp piece is wasted rather than the entire constructed upper. In that sense, his method is both practical and smart.

The second form of hand sewing the upper—which I find particularly challenging—involves stitching the apron directly on the vamp. This requires punching precise holes through two layers of leather simultaneously with an awl. Any misalignment here results in a visibly crooked apron. It’s incredibly easy to go wrong. While the earlier heel counter stitching includes pre-punched holes as a guide, the vamp offers no such help—just a silver guideline and the artisan’s trained eye.

This is where craftsmanship shines. Eiji’s execution here is nothing short of masterful. His precision and control are evident, and the results speak for themselves.

Hopefully, this gives you a deeper appreciation for the skill and dedication involved in hand sewing the upper. It’s a labor-intensive, unforgiving process that deserves immense respect—and one that elevates the artistry of fine shoemaking.

Learn more here: https://www.instagram.com/bespoke_shoemaker_main.d.or/?hl=en

—Justin FitzPatrick, The Shoe Snob

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