Pack Rat wants to “Show you the crafts!” with our birthday contest

Creativity is one of those traits can be expressed in a million different ways. There are your standard bearers of painting pictures, writing stories, singing songs, and snapping photos. But when you are working within a form that is widely respected and considered by all to fall under the category of “art,” then how creative are you really? One young man thinks outside the box–the shoe box that is. Ian Fieggen has channeled his creative energy into the art of lacing shoes. Yes, you read that right. Ian’s Shoelace Site is dedicated to the history, fashion, and science of shoe laces, and the technique of lacing shoes. Or, I should say techniques. Ian offers visitors thirty-four different ways that they can lace their shoes. He also provides a handy pro’s and con’s check list for each method, so you can find the variation that works best for you. Ian (who looks a little like “Come on Down!” Bob, from Bob’s Discount Furniture), started out with a single page website called Ian’s Knot page, after he invented a new, better way to tie his shoes that resulted in less lace breakage. When his new method piqued his interest in the topic, he realized that no websites existed dedicated to shoe lace information. So he created his own. Now an international sensation, Ian has even published a book called Laces: 100s of Ways to Pimp Your Kicks. So come for the crazy, imaginative variety of lacing techniques, and stay for the tips on how to replace those plastic tips on the end of your laces. Man, it sucks when those break off.

photo copyright by Ian Fieggen