Make Your Own Shoes – Evening Class

The definitive handsewn shoe making class

Learn to make your own shoes using traditional, heritage, shoemaking tools and techniques. Work at your own pace, under the careful guidance of master shoemakers and experienced teachers.

CLASSES

Maximum of six students, so there is plenty of individual attention

Designed for complete beginners

On a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening

In terms of 10 weeks

6 – 9pm

It usually takes three terms to make a pair of leather soled and heeled shoes from start to finish, as we guide you through the 200+ steps in the shoe making process – lasting, welting, stitching on a sole, building leather heels and then finishing the shoes, all by hand. At the end, you will proudly walk away with a pair of shoes that you have made yourself!

Or why not dip your toe in and make a pair of sneakers? (The sneakers take up to two terms to make and there is an £80 surcharge for them to be professionally finished i.e. to have the sole attached).

The evening class costs £515 per 10-week term.

As a Carreducker shoemaking student you receive a 20% discount on tools and materials that you buy from the Supplies Shop.

TERMS

Spring 2023: w/c 9 January – 20 March

Summer 2023: w/c 17 April – 26 June

Autumn 2023: w/c 18 September –  27 November

TIME

6pm – 9pm on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening

Email us to arrange a start date…You can join at any time during the term if we have a place available!

 

 

Shoe sizing, styles, leather and details

For your first pair of handsewn leather shoes we recommend visiting us at OXO Tower Wharf to try on an 0743 shoe sample for size; then choose from three shoe styles – a Derby, Oxford or Wholecut; a leather colour of your choice; and a selection of details – toecaps, brogue punch pattern, blind or metal eyelets and a heel counter or dog ear.

For sneaker making, simply tell us your usual UK sneaker size and we’ll order lasts for you to work on.

Once you have made one pair of shoes with us, you can go on to make any shoe or low boot style of your choosing on the same last; or bring along your own lasts and we will have the uppers made for you.

Materials

The cost of the first pair of shoe uppers are included in your term fee.

All the materials needed to make the shoes are provided.

There is a fee for subsequent pairs of uppers, dependent on the chosen style and leather; from £180 for a pair of plain Derby shoe uppers.

Sign up

Spaces are available throughout the year as students finish making their shoes, so you can start at any time if we have a place.  Simply email us to let us know which evening you would prefer and when you would like to start. Then we will arrange for you to pop into our workshop to choose your shoe size, style, colour and detailing so we’re all set for when you start.

Terms & conditions

See our full Terms & Conditions here.