Workshops
Learn to make shoes and all of their pieces
Group Classes
Group classes are offered over several month’s time, which should allow you to make a pair of shoes that fits you and/or to learn the basic techniques regardless of the specific fit. The order is as follows:
Lasts and Sizing
Footwear Design and Pattern Making
Upper Making
Cement Construction
Welted Construction
Private Instruction
Private, start-to-finish shoemaking classes take 7 – 10 days, depending on construction type.
Cost $3,000.
Consultation
I am happy to provide direction or consultation or work with you on problem solving your shoe projects remotely by voice and video.
Cost $50/hour.
Upcoming Workshops
Next workshops will be scheduled for April/may 2025
PLease take the poll to show your interest and help with scheduling
See list below for workshop details and pricing
Lasts and Sizing
*This workshop is part of a series of shoemaking workshops. Take all the workshops and learn how to make shoes from start to finish, or just the one(s) that interest you.
To make shoes, you need a last. Getting the right last can be tricky. You can find lasts in second hand stores, on eBay, and from last manufacturers. Even once you have one, how do you know if it will fit or for what purpose it was originally made? What changes can you make to lasts and how?
This workshop is an introduction to lasts and sizing. This will help you understand relationships between the last and fit, function, and style. Learn about different last materials, cut types, suppliers, and how to order. You will learn some standard measuring techniques and apply those to your own feet. I will provide an overview of basic last fitting and modification techniques. When you are done, you should be able to understand what it means to get a last “in your size.” You are welcome to participate in a bulk order when the class is over.
Duration: 6 Hours
Cost: $275.00 ($200 for students)
Space is limited.
Footwear Design and Pattern Making
*This workshop is part of a series of shoemaking workshops. Take all the workshops and learn how to make shoes from start to finish, or just the one(s) that interest you.
In this class I will teach analog and digital techniques that I use for footwear design and rapid prototyping. You will learn techniques for quickly, cost effectively, and sustainably producing footwear design prototypes. With these methods you can go beyond illustrative designs to create actual pattern pieces that can be cut and tested.
The techniques covered here are not only suitable for making your own shoes, they are in principle the standard methods used everywhere – from small shops like mine to large production factories. Please bring your own last if you have one, otherwise one will be provided.
Duration: 3 Days
Cost: $750.00 ($500 for students)
Space is limited.
Materials and Upper Making
*This workshop is part of a series of shoemaking workshops. Take all the workshops and learn how to make shoes from start to finish, or just the one(s) that interest you.
An essential part of making shoes is making the upper. Learn to cut and sew shoe uppers. Building on the skills learned in the Shoe Design and Pattern Making workshop, we transfer those patterns to leather and assemble the uppers. You will learn about many kinds of leather, how cut and sew leather, finish edges, manage seams and determine order of assembly for a fully lined shoe upper. Traditionally the cutting and sewing (clicking and closing) were performed by different people, here we do it all!
Duration: 8 Hours
Cost: $325.00
Cement Construction
*This workshop is part of a series of shoemaking workshops. Take all the workshops and learn how to make shoes from start to finish, or just the one(s) that interest you.
There are many different types of shoe construction, the most common of which is using adhesives to bond the upper to the sole (and sometimes also to the insole. Known in the trade as “cement construction,” this course teaches how to make shoes by bonding the upper to the insole and the whole works to the sole. You will learn how to form a shoe upper around a last (lasting), how to make and last the supporting components like heel counters and toe puffs, how to attach it all to the insole, and finally attach unit soles with integrated heel. Most shoes in production today are made this way.
If you took the classes on upper making and pattern design, you can use that to make your shoes, otherwise an upper will be provided.
Duration: 3 Days
Cost: $850.00
Welted Construction
*This workshop is part of a series of shoemaking workshops. Take all the workshops and learn how to make shoes from start to finish, or just the one(s) that interest you.
Welted shoe construction is one of the most common methods of hand sewn shoe construction. You will learn how to prepare a leather insole, form a shoe upper around a last (lasting), make and last the supporting components like heel counters and toe puffs, how to sew it all to the insole, attach soles and build heels. Note that this is not Goodyear welted construction. The Goodyear welt is intended for machine stitching. For more information, check out the Goodyear welt page on Wikipedia. (It could use some love, but the basics are there.) The method I teach uses a leather-only welt (pictured above). This is the classic construction method that most people think of when they think of handmade shoes.
If you took the classes on upper making and pattern design, you can use that to make your shoes, otherwise an upper will be provided.
Duration: 5 days
Cost: $1,500.00
