Patron Saint of Feltmakers: A Legend about St. Clement and Felted Socks

It is already known that the felt was invented before our era, but there is a Christian legend which connects its origins with St. Clement. Actually, he is even considered a patron saint of feltmakers and hatters!

The legend says that St. Clement, persecuted by the Romans, had to flee from his city. As his feet were badly cut and blistered, he placed bits of wool in his sandals to prevent further blisters and relieve pain. After some time the patron saint of feltmakers realized that the wool has become firm. It turned out that it was accidentally felted under the influence of moisture and friction. As a result it took the shape of soft and warm socks.

Nowadays, felt is common in the footwear industry. You can come across felted slippers or traditional Russian winter boots called valenki, which are made mostly of felt. There are also felted insoles that you can use for foot health and comfort.

The felted shoes you can see in the picture are from the blog of a Norwegian artist. When I posted them on Facebook some time ago, my post became very popular. It seems that making felted shoes is a good niche for someone who wants to start own business, as lots of people dream of having a pair of them. You can follow the Facebook discussion using the link below.