UNIT 3 COURT SHOE UPPER Court Shoe Upper

Structure 3.1 Introduction Objectives 3.2 Components 3.3 Sequence of Operation 3.4 Quality Checking 3.5 Summary 3.6 Key Words

3.1 INTRODUCTION

This is ladies shoe with low cut vamp either with low or high heel. Originally the upper was in one piece. The main visual feature of this shoe is that it has an unbroken top line. A bow or other decorative piece is sometime attached on the vamp. Top line can be folded, bagged topline or given a French binding or English binding. The throat curves are under stress so they are given additional reinforcement. The skill required to stitch court shoe upper are : • Sorting • Skiving components of upper - Fold skive (8mm) top line of Quarter. - Fold skive top line of Vamp. - Underlay skive Quarter - Close raw edge skives on Quarter. - Close raw edges skive on Vamp. • Attach interlining to Quarters and Vamp. (Keep under scarf of skiving) • Foil stamping lining for size and fitting on quarter lining. • Back seam by single needle Flat bed machine. • Rubbing and Taping of back seam. • Stitch Vamp to Quarter by double needle flat bed machine. • Stitch Quarter lining with Heel grip with single needle flat bed machine. • Stitch Quarter lining to Vamp lining by single needle flat bed machine. • Manual folding or machine folding Vamp and Quarter top line. • Pre fit lining shell to upper by rubber solution adhesive. • Stitching trimming. • Edge inking top line lining and tongue by same colour. • Lining trimming by lining trimmer. • Trim all loose ends. • Examine upper. Objectives After studying this unit, you should be able to • make the sequence of operation of court shoe upper and its variation, 21

Basic Upper Assembly • understand pre-fitting operations, • do the stitching of upper, • understand the lining operations and fixing with the upper, • make specification sheet of court shoe upper, and • assess quality standards.

3.2 COMPONENTS

Here we have considered all upper and leather components are of leather. The interlining is added to add strength to the upper material. If upper material has enough strength then interlining may not be required. Interlining is pasted on flesh side of upper components.

Top line can be given various treatments. Bow can also be attached on the vamp. We have considered plain court shoe with inside quarter. The main components of court shoe are : Upper • Two Vamp (1 left foot and 1 for right foot). • Two Quarters (one for left foot and one for right foot). Lining • Two Vamp lining (one for left foot and one for right foot). • Two Quarter lining (one for left foot and one for right foot). • Two Heel grip (one for right and one for left foot). Interlining (Swansdown) • Two for vamp. • Two for quarter. Peaks or cutout is given on the inside of the vamp and vamp lining. These indicate left and right feet. The cuts/indications 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 during stitching or matching the pair of lining and upper. SAQ 1 (a) What are the visual features of a court shoe? (b) Why interlining is required during upper making?

3.3 SEQUENCE OF OPERATION Court Shoe Upper

The sequence of operation is given for court shoe with quarter having folded top line. The top line can be given French binding or other treatment depending on the design of the shoe. Suitable reinforcement is provided on the high stretch areas like throat curve. A lining shell is separately stitched and then stitched with the upper at top line. Leather lining at lasting edges is also skived from the gain side as it helps in lasting. Sometimes lasting edge of lining is skived from grain side to help in better adhesion during toe and side lasting operations. The sequence of operation for court shoe is as given below : (a) Stitch marking. (b) Edge coloring (if required). (c) Skiving - Underlay skive of Quarter, - Raw edge skive of Quarter, - Fold skive of Quarter, - Fold skive of Vamp, - Raw edge skive of Vamp, - Underlay skiving of vamp lining, - Skiving of quarter lining at lasting edge from grain side, and - Skiving of vamp lining at lasting edge from grain side. (d) Interlining ironing/fusing. (e) Stitching of Vamp to Quarter side seam (double row seam). (f) Stitching of back seam Vamp to Quarter (single row seam). (g) Seam rubbing and taping. (h) Reinforcement attaching on top line. (i) Top line folding. (j) Taping in throat areas (reinforcement). (k) Stitching of Quarter to Heel grip with single row stitch (lining). (l) Stitching lining shell to upper shell. (m) Stitching of top line of Upper with Lining (single row seam). (n) Top line edge trimming. (o) Cement upper and lining with adhesive. (p) Cleaning and thread burning. (q) Quality checking. (r) Packing ¾ Single needle flat bed machine is required for Operation No. (f), (k) and (l). ¾ Double needle flat bed machine is required for Operation No. (e). ¾ Single needle post bed machine is required for Operation No. (m). ¾ Thermo folding machine is required for Operation No. (i) or it can be done manually. ¾ Seam rubbing and taping machine is required for Operation No. (g). 23

Basic Upper Assembly ¾ Trimming machine is required for Operation No. (n) or a lining trimmer can be fixed on the machine. ¾ Latex spray machine is required for Operation No. (o). ¾ Skiving machine is required for Operation No. (c). 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 4.5 mm to 5.5 mm stitches/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 quarter with vamp. - Make sure top line is leveled before inserting quarter and vamp in the machine and stitch 1.5 mm from the edges and start and finish off with a back stitch (2-3 stitch). • For stitching lining size 60 top and bottom thread is used and have same colour as lining. • Before stitching quarter lining to vamp lining make sure that same foot quarter lining match with the inside of vamp lining. - Quarter lining should be stitched 1.5 mm from the edge. - Quarter lining should be level with vamp lining and back stitched at the beginning and end of the seam with the vamp lining. • Before folding by thermo folding machine make sure that - Thermo pot is two third full. - Make sure that thermo temperature is 55oC. - Make sure that creaser foot temperature is 75oC - Cement flow dial is adjusted to normal flow position. - Machine is adjusted to 4 mm fold. - 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 and vamp. • Before pre-fitting lining shell to upper shell make sure that lining shell and upper shell are of correct feet. - Fit lining inside of the upper, leaving the trimming margin at the topline. 24

- Ensure that nicks or marking on the top of top line of lining shell are Court Shoe Upper 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 to 4.5 mm stitches/cm for top line stitching. - Correct top and bottom thread is available. • 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. • Reinforcement tapes must be attached at the throat on the vamp as it is under high stress. SAQ 2 (a) Which area of court shoe upper requires to be reinforced and why? (b) Explain taping in throat area.

3.4 QUALITY CHECKING

• Edge stitching not to be more than 1.5 mm from the edge. • Double row stitching distance to be 1.8 mm from the first row. • For back seam stitch density to be 4.5-5.5 stitch./cm. • For lapped seam and top line stitching, stitch density to be 4-4.5 St./cm. • No missed stitches acceptable. • No thread tension acceptable. • No dirty upper acceptable. • Use minimum solution on upper. • No loose thread ends acceptable. • Correct size and colour of eyelet must be used. • For close seams a wedge point needle must be used. • Thread colour should match the colour of leather or as per the sample given. • Folding should be neat. • Upper should not be twisted. • Lining should not be too short at the lasting edges. • Lining must be trimmed smoothly. • No needle scratch marks. • Skiving should not be too thin or thick. 25

Basic Upper Assembly Activity 1 Write down the sequence of operation and machine required for stitching court shoe upper having following components. Upper Vamp, Quarter and Counter and French binding. Lining Vamp lining, Quarter lining and Heel grip. SAQ 3 Explain the quality checking during court shoe upper making.

3.5 SUMMARY

In this unit, you have learned about assembling of court shoe. • The main feature of court shoe is that it has unbroken top line. • It has low cut vamp. • Top thread should match the colour of upper and bottom thread should match the colour of lining or should be as per sample given. • Cut out or nicks on components should be checked before assembly of upper. • Bows or trims can be attached on the Vamp for decoration. • Top line tape should be attached before folding top line. • High stress areas must be reinforced suitably. • There should be no air pockets, creases or wrinkles in lining. • Interlining should not be pasted on the skiving area and must be 6mm short of upper components at lasting edges. • Interlining is pasted on the flesh side of the upper components. • While fitting lining, care should be taken that lining and upper shell is of same feet.

3.6 KEY WORDS

Swansdown : A fabric having naps on its surface. Lining : The inside material used under the upper. These are generally cut to the same shape of upper, 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 softness and plumpness of the upper material and add strength to upper material. Bow : A decorative accessory for women shoe which is 26 attached sometimes on Vamp or at the end of the laces.