There are some shoes that have been with us for centuries. We periodically forget it, modify it, but our love for it does not go away, no matter what. For example, felt boots. Soft and warm, they make you smile and remember your childhood. Meanwhile, today both adults and children wear them, albeit not as much as we would like.
Valenki are felt boots. They have an original, unique design and a lot of advantages. So, they are ideal for hiking on dry winter snow, retain heat and practically do not slip. In the classic version, natural sheep wool is used for their manufacture, but today other materials of equal quality are used.
@lapyrinivan
Interestingly, felt boots are not the traditional footwear of the Russian people. Boots similar to them - pima - were worn by the nomads of Eurasia, who lived several centuries before the advent of our era.
In Ancient Rus', people learned about these wonderful shoes from the Golden Horde invaders. They came to Russian soil in felt high stockings, which they hid under their boots.For several centuries, our ancestors made felt boots by hand, passing on knowledge about this process from generation to generation. This work was complex and painstaking, required patience and cost a lot of money. Therefore, only wealthy people wore such warm felt shoes.
There are many interesting and funny moments associated with felt boots. For example, a progressive connoisseur of everything European - Peter I - put them on his bare feet to get rid of a hangover. An indispensable attribute of such a procedure was eating sour cabbage soup.
The real heyday of the popularity of felt shoes in Russia occurred only in the 19th century, when industrial production was launched. At that time, the profession of pimokat, a manufacturer of felt boots, became especially honorable. It was from this time that such felt boots began to be worn everywhere. They celebrated Maslenitsa and Christmas frosts, went to the forest for firewood and to war. In a word, there was no winter sphere of human life where such useful footwear did not find its application.
@adel__yang
There are practically no craftsmen left today who felt sheep's wool by hand and created unique, one-piece examples of felt boots. The production of modern models is mostly industrial. For them I use rabbit, goat, camel and sheep wool, and sometimes mohair.
In the classic version, felt boots are not distinguished between right and left. You can get wet in them if you step into a puddle or walk through melted snow. Therefore, leather or rubber is sewn onto the soles (models with the familiar galoshes are gradually becoming a thing of the past).
In addition, felt boots are popular these days, which are only vaguely similar to the good old felt boots. These boots have thick soles and an original design.Women's models are often made with heels or wedges, decorated with rhinestones and embroidery.
@alizade_feltboots
It is believed that sheep's wool has a beneficial effect on human health. It is used to treat rheumatism and joint pain. This is probably why village grandmothers so often walk around the house wearing felt boots that have been hemmed several times.
In addition, natural felt is useful for the correct formation of a child's foot. Although shoes made from it are not considered orthopedic, they are comfortable for the feet. And walking in light, almost weightless real felt boots through the snowdrifts is a real pleasure for every child.
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