UNIT 1 OXFORD UPPER Oxford Upper

Structure 1.1 Introduction Objectives 1.2 Components 1.3 Sequence of Operation 1.4 Quality Checking 1.5 Summary 1.6 Key Words

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The anatomy of a shoe can be divided in an upper and lower (or bottom part). Sections of the upper include vamp, quarter, toecap, counter, collar and eyelet facing. The sections of the lower shoe consist of an outsole, insole, mid sole and heel. The Upper of the Shoe All parts or sections of the shoe above the sole that are stitched or otherwise joined together to become a unit then attached to the insole and outsole. The upper of the shoe consists of the vamp or front of the shoe, the quarter, i.e. the sides and back of the shoe, and the linings. Uppers are made of different materials, both natural and synthetic. Leather became the obvious cover of choice because being a natural material, it allow air to pass through to and from the skin pores thereby providing an opportunity to keep the feet, cool. The properties of animal skins further helps mould the shoe to the foot beneath. The ability for leather to crease or flex over surfaces facilitates the function of the foot. Ironically synthetics used as uppers display elastic properties, which mean the shoe upper never quite adjusts to the foot shape in the same way as natural leather. Synthetics are cheaper to mass- produce and are now found in mass produced footwear. Synthetic uppers are more waterproof. Oxford shoe is shoe style for men with closed front and the eyelet tabs are stitched under the vamp. It can be plain oxford, full brogue and semi-brogue versions. The main feature of oxford shoe is that vamp overlays the quarter. It is close throat lace shoe with three or more eyelets. Oxford shoe have many variation in design. Toecap oxford is a variation of oxford shoe. The skill required to stitch oxford upper is • Sorting • Skiving components of upper - Underlay skive quarters - Underlay skiving eyelet facing - Underlay skive tongue - Underlay skive on vamp - Fold skive (8 mm) top line of quarter - Fold skive (8 mm) top line of eye facing - Fold skive toe cap - Close raw edge skives of quarters. - Attach interlining to toecap, quarters and vamp (keep under scarf of skiving), if required. - Foil stamping lining for size and fitting on quarter lining. 5

Basic Upper Assembly • Closed seam quarter by single needle flat bed machine. • Back seam rubbing (flattening back seam) and tape back seam. • Stitch toecap to vamp by double needle flat bed machine. • Stitch vamp to quarter by double needle post bed machine. • Stitch quarter lining with heel grip. • Stitch quarter lining to vamp lining by single needle flat bed machine. • Manual folding quarter top line, vamp and toecap. • Pre fit lining shell to upper by rubber solution adhesive. • Edge inking top line lining and tongue by same colour. • Attaching eyelets by eyeleting machine. • Lining trimming. • Trim all loose ends. • Examine upper. [Note : The above points are not the sequence of the operations.]

Objectives After studying this unit, you should be able to • make the sequence of operation of oxford upper and its variation, • understand pre-fitting operations, • do the stitching of oxford upper, • understand the lining operations and fixing with the upper, • make specification sheet of oxford upper, and • assess quality standards.

1.2 COMPONENTS

Oxford shoes have following components. Here we have considered all upper and lining components are of leather. In some case, vamp lining could be of drill cloth and quarter lining can be of synthetic material. The interlining is added to add strength to the upper material. If upper material has enough strength then interlining may not be required. Upper • Two Toe cap (one for left foot and one for right foot) • Two Vamp (one for left foot and one for right foot) 6 • Four Quarters (2 inside and 2 outside)

• Four Eyelet facing (2 for left foot and 2 for right foot) Oxford Upper • Two Tongue (one for left foot and one for right foot) Lining • Two Vamp lining (one for left foot and one for right foot) • Four Quarter lining (two for inside and two outside) • Two Heel grip (one for right and one for left foot) • Two Tongue lining (one for right foot and one for left foot) Interlining (Swansdown) • Two for Vamp • Four for Quarter • Four for Eyelet facing Peaks or cut out is given on the inside of the vamp and vamp lining. These indicate left and right feet. They must always be facing on the inside of the upper and lining. Peaks or cutouts are also given on the quarter lining these indicate inside and outside to match quarter and vamp. Care should be taken to stitch inside quarter with the inside portion of the vamp and lining for left foot must be stitched on the left upper and right foot lining on right foot upper. But this type of pattern engineering leads to production problems solved by symmetrical patterns.

1.3 SEQUENCE OF OPERATION

The sequence of operation is given for toecap oxford with loose lining. The assembly of an upper consists of preparation of components and then fitting and actual stitching. The preparation consists of sorting, splitting (if required), stamping, stitch marking, punching, gimping, edge colour, skiving and attaching interlining as per requirement. The prepared components are then fitted together for ease in stitching. Sometimes, lining at lasting edges is also skived from the grain side as it helps in lasting. Finished side of lining does not paste well to the insole while toe lasting or side lasting is done. Grain surface is just removed while skiving lining at lasting edges. The Sequence of Operations of Toecap Oxford Here it is assumed that most of the preparation part is already completed in clicking department (a) Stitch marking (b) Edge colour (c) Skiving - Underlay skive quarters - Underlay skive vamp - Underlay skive eyelet facing - Underlay skive tongue - Underlay skive vamp lining (if leather) - Raw edge skive tongue - Close raw edge skive quarter - Fold skive top line of quarter and eyelet facing - Fold skive toe cap and vamp (d) Attach interlining (if required) 7

Basic Upper Assembly (e) Close seam of Quarters (f) Seam rubbing and taping (g) Silked/French seam (h) Stitch Heel grip to Quarter lining (Single row seam) (i) Stitch Quarter lining to Vamp lining (Single row seam) (j) Stitch Tongue to Tongue lining (Single row seam) (k) Stitch Quarter to Eyelet facing (l) Attach Eyelet reinforcement tape on eyelet facing and top line taping (m) Fold top line of Quarter (n) Fold Toecap and Vamp (o) Stitch Toecap to Vamp (Double row seam) (p) Stitch Vamp to Quarters with leather stay. (Vamping- double row seam) (q) Pre fit lining shell to upper shell (r) Stitch Upper to Lining – top line stitch. (Single row seam) (s) Trim Lining at top line and trim Tongue lining. (t) Attach visible Eyelets (u) Edge ink top line of Lining and Tongue (v) Stitch Tongue to Upper (single row seam) (w) Cement Vamp and Quarters (x) Trim all loose threads ends and cleaning (y) Quality checking (z) Packing Operational Checks • Before skiving ensure skiving machine is adjusted to - Folding for fold skives. - Underlay for underlay skive. - Close raw edge for close raw edge skives. • For close seam - Single needle Flat bed machine is set to 5 mm to 5.5 mm stitch density/cm. - Correct size and point needle is inserted in machine. A wedge point or P point needle should be used. - Top and bottom thread are of size 60 and match the upper colour. - Seam rubbing machine is adjusted as per the thickness of material and feeding accurately. - For taping check that correct tape is available and tape is equally pasted on both side of seam. • Before back seaming, place the quarters together and ensure for the correct pair matched - Make sure top line is leveled before inserting quarters in to the machine and stitch 1.5 mm from the edges and start and finish off with 8 a back stitch (2-3 stitch) for necessary reinforcement of corners.

• For stitching lining, size 60 top and bottom thread is used and have same Oxford Upper colour as lining. • Before stitching quarter lining to vamp lining ensures that lining is matched for inside or outside to vamp lining. - Quarter lining should be stitched 1.5 mm from the edge and should be leveled at the center prick mark on vamp lining. - Quarter lining should be level and back stitched provision is required to make at the beginning and end of the seam with the vamp lining. • Tongue lining should be fitted correctly on the tongue. Flesh side of the tongue must face the flesh side of the tongue lining. Correct trimming margin should be left at top of the tongue lining. Ensure for the no wrinkles on lining surface. • Before folding by thermo folding machine make sure that - Thermo pot is two third full. - Make sure that thermo temperature is 55 degree or as per required. - Make sure that creaser foot temperature is 75 degree. - Cement flow dial is adjusted to normal flow position. - Machine is adjusted to 4 mm fold or as per folding margin. - Make sure finger is adjusted to correct spacing according to thickness of the material being folded. - A reinforcement tape must be attached while folding components. - Top line tape must be attached while folding top line of quarters. • Before vamping, make sure that twin needle post bed machine is adjusted accordingly. - For vamping correct size and point needle is inserted and correct size and colour of thread is used for bottom and top. - Check that top and bottom tension are correct. - A leather stay piece is inserted at quarter joints while stitching vamp to quarters. - Quarters must meet at the center prick given on the vamp. - Make sure that correct foot quarter matches the inside of vamp. - Start and finish the seam with back stitch. • Before pre-fitting lining shell to upper shell make sure that lining shell and upper shell are of correct feet/same size. - Fit lining inside of the upper, leaving the trimming margin at the topline. - Ensure that nicks or marking on the top of top line of lining shell are level with the top line of upper. These nicks or marks act as guide for the amount of lining to be trimmed after stitching. • For top line stitching on single needle post bed machine ensure that correct size and point needle is inserted and correct size and colour of thread is available for top and bottom. - Stitch length is set as per number of stitches required/unit for top line stitching. 9

Basic Upper Assembly • For edge inking correct colour of ink and correct brush is available. - Ink should not over spread on the flesh or grain side of the components. • Trimming of lining should be smooth. - Upper should not be cut while trimming lining. • Before eyeleting check that correct size, colour and shape eyelets are available. - Check that machine is fitted with correct size locating pin and correct spreader. • While attaching tongue on single needle flat bed machine make sure it is placed inside and 10 mm above the top of the quarter facing so that curve of the top and sides of the tongue finish in line with the top curves of the quarter facing - Check that machine is adjusted to correct stitch length and correct size and point needle. LR needle is suitable for this seam. - Correct top and bottom thread is available SAQ 1 (a) What type of skiving should be done on following components of oxford? (i) Vamp (ii) Quarters (iii) Eyelet facing (iv) Vamp lining (b) Where reinforcement is provided in oxford shoe upper? (c) What care should be taken while pre-fitting the lining shell to upper shell?

1.4 QUALITY CHECKING

• Edge stitching not to be more than 1.5 mm from the edge. • Double row stitching distance to be 1.8mm from the first row. • For back seam and French seam, stitch density to be 5- 5.5 st./cm. • For lapped seam and top line stitching, stitch density to be 4- 4.5 st./cm. • For toecap to vamp stitching, first row stitching at 1.5mm from the edge. • No missed stitches acceptable. • No thread tension acceptable. • No dirty upper acceptable. • Use minimum solution adhesive on upper.

10 • No loose thread ends acceptable.

• Eyeleting must be visible. Oxford Upper • Correct size and colour of eyelet must be used. • Distance for eyeleting is 10mm from the top of the edge and 15 mm between the eyelets. • Eyelets must be properly clenched and should not be loose or damaged. • For close seams a wedge point needle must be used. • Thread colour should match the colour of leather or as per the sample given. • Ticket no 40 for top thread and ticket no 60 for bottom thread should be used. (depends on material being used). • Folding should be neat. • Upper should not be twisted. • Lining should not be too short at the lasting edges. • Lining must be trimmed smoothly. • Lining is not stained by ink. SAQ 2 (a) What are the quality check points for oxford shoe upper? (b) Explain the stitch density for back seam and lap seam with suitable reason. (c) What do you mean by “upper should not be twisted”?

Activity 1 Write down the sequence of operation and machine required for stitching oxford shoe upper having following components. Upper Vamp, Quarter and Counter and French binding Lining Vamp lining, Quarter lining and Heel grip.

1.5 SUMMARY

In this unit, you have learned about assembling of oxford shoe. • The main feature of oxford shoe is that vamp overlays the quarters. • Oxford shoe can have many variations in design. • Double needle post bed machine is required for vamping of oxford. • Single needle post bed machine is required for stitching topline. • Top thread should match the colour of upper and bottom thread should match the colour of lining or as per sample given. • Lining should be stitched with thread Tkt no 60. • Cut out or nicks on components should be checked before assembly of upper. 11

Basic Upper Assembly • Components should be checked for inside or outside and left or right foot before they are stitched together. • While stitching quarter to vamp (vamping) leather stay must be inserted where both quarters facing meet. • Quarter facing must meet at the center prick mark given on the vamp. • Every stitching must start and finish with a backstitch. • While stitching lining, make sure lining and upper are of same feet. • Pricks or marks given on top of lining must match the topline of the upper. • While trimming lining care should be taken not to cut the upper leather. • Eyelets should be fixed firmly. • Eyelets head should not damaged while eyeleting. • Top and bottom tension must be checked before stitching. • Machine should be checked for stitch length, size and point of needle and thread tension before stitching components.

1.6 KEW WORDS

Lining : The inside material used under the upper. These are generally cut to the same shape of upper, and have certain parameters. These are named after the upper components for example Vamp lining, Tongue lining and Quarter lining. Lining Shell : A shell formed by stitching all lining components. Interlining : A material used between the upper and lining to increase the overall strength of upper material. Eyelet Facing : The portion of quarter that carries the eyelets for lacing, which can be either whole-cut with quarter or joined. Vamp : The section of boot or shoe upper which covers the foot at the joint area lying between the toecap and quarter. It is subjected to maximum flexing while walking. Quarter : The section of upper which covers the heel and connect vamp of the footwear. It is sometimes joined at the back by a back strip. Toecap : The portion of the upper which covers the toe end of the foot. It extends from the vamp up to the toe end. Tongue : A piece of upper leather placed below the eyelet facing to prevent the direct contact of the foot with the laces. The tongue may be separate piece or one with the vamp.

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