Sigh. Look at those Miu Miu heels. The Selfish Seamstress once considered learning how to whittle just so she could have a pair of these shoes. With a rather dainty foot (size 4.5 or 5 US) she has a hard time finding pretty shoes that fit, given that most stores don’t even stock shoes smaller than 5.5 or 6, and that kids’ shoes, well, often look like kids’ shoes. Naturally she has often fantasized about becoming an expert shoemaker and being able to make any shoes she could dream up or copy any shoe she saw. (It should be noted, however, that this was her motivation in learning to draft, but the closetful of custom-made, perfectly fitting designer knockoffs has yet to materialize.) Since she has not had the opportunity to sew in recent weeks, she’s once again become fixated on this fantasy.
Mary Wales Loomis has published a manual on making your own shoes at home with her adorable hand-drawn illustrations like the one above. As she promises, the process requires no special or expensive equipment. I did buy the book, but after reading it, I found the whole process rather intimidating – the sort of thing one would probably rather learn by watching than by reading, like, say, filling a cavity or giving someone a perm. The book has been around for a long time and is pretty informative, but I have seen very few accounts from people who have actually tried the process, fewer who have had success with it, and even fewer resulting shoes. I get the feeling that if I try it, I will end up with a big wonky mess.
And so my latest obsession is with the idea of taking a shoemaking course. As it turns out, there are many seminars (well not many, but a handful) for laypeople who want to learn to make shoes. They’re not fashion certificate programs; they’re not intended to make you a professional cobbler or train you for a job at Jimmy Choo. Just seminars or continuing education classes in which you’ll make a pair of shoes, possibly of your own design, using professional equipment, and subsequently become completely addicted to making your own shoes. Courses range in price from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars, and wow, are they tempting.
Those are some pictures from Prescott and MacKay, which in addition to offering a variety of shoemaking courses also holds other tempting classes including millinery, tutu making, and bag making in London and San Francisco. They look like they’re pretty serious about their accessories.
Cleveland dwellers, or those who can travel out there for two days, can take a class at International Shoemaking Design, whose emphasis is on fun and sexy shoes- spectators, pumps, strappy sandals, mules… nary a Croc nor Birkenstock in sight! Check out these fun shoes from the site- you can’t buy them so you’ll just have to make them yourself:
New Yorkers have an enviable array of choices, including lots of options at the Manhattan JCC (2-month courses are less than $300!), a sandal and evening shoe course at Make, and an upcoming stiletto-making course for rank beginners from Koronya! That’s right- four days of your labor at Koronya, and you could walk out in a pair of these:
Damn, yo.
So yeah, you can bet I’m going to be thinking about these courses when planning my next vacation, not to mention eyeing vintage fabric remnants with a whole new perspective: How would that look on my feet?
And in case I do have the good fortune to take one of these classes and end up with a closetful of adorable and covetable custom footwear- don’t ask, because you already know the answer. No.
55 comments
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April 20, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Tasia
Oh man, I wish I could make my own shoes! If you ever do go down the path of shoe-making, please do share your creations! We won’t expect you to make them for anyone else :)
April 20, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Claire
I took a weeklong shoemaking course once. It was so much fun to design and then MAKE a pair of shoes. The instructors were amazing, and their shoes were wild (like one pair of boots that used horses hooves as the sole). It was a lot of work and there were many of steps involved… and there was lots of glue (for some reason I didn’t forsee that one, and glueing was my least favourite bit)
It was very interesting, but because of the complexity of the process I didn’t feel that I could go home and start cranking out shoes. I think that if I’d taken a longer course involving maybe 3-4 pairs of shoes I would have felt able to go home and make a pair for myself (that’s been the case with lots of courses I taken; screen printing, basket making, book binding… unless I go home and start practicing right away I lose the knowledge very quickly)
April 20, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Lourdes
I took the Prescott & Mackay course and highly recommend it. They used to offer a week in Spain at a B&B, with a group of about 10 of us, making shoes during the afternoon. It was a lot of fun. If you’re interested I’ll send you a link to the pics and if you have any questions you know where to find me.
April 20, 2012 at 8:39 pm
Mell
Hi Lourdes, could you please provide me with the info? I am looking for a really intense short time frame class. I want to learn more about strass, paint and conception. Any glues you remember which they suggested? Thanks a bunch!
April 20, 2010 at 5:38 pm
nettie
I got the shoe making bug after watching Kinky Boots. Watching those machines form the shoes was fascinating!
April 20, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Kelly Rose
Have you ever read/seen the blog Luxirare? She made a pair of shoes recently, and though she doesn’t do a detailed how to, you CAN see what she ended up with, and they’re pretty cool. http://luxirare.com/black-suede-ankle-boot/
April 20, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Jenna
Oh, I’ve wanted to try this for years! I figure it’s the only way I’ll get interested in shoes – heck it worked for fashion… (sewing is the only reason I have a half decent wardrobe :P). Sadly I haven’t found any workshops locally :(.
April 20, 2010 at 6:17 pm
Beangirl
My grandmother, at a towering height of 4′-11″, wore a size 2 shoe most of her life. She dreaded the evil Girl’s Shoes too. She had an interesting solution to the problem (well, historically interesting, anyway). She bought the samples from the travelling shoe salesmen when they passed through her little town in South Dakota. They new to stop at her house with their last-year’s samples, which, in order to travel more easily, were all size 2. I doubt there’s such a thing as a travelling shoe salesman with teeny-tiny samples these days. I’m guessing making your own shoes is the way to go. I’ll be expecting to see some in the near future.
April 20, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Anonymous
If you find a place ANY PLACE to buy heel and shanks, I will pay you to share the info. (I know you have a selfish rep to keep up.)
I have this book; have had it for 5 years. I even made the plaster lasts. I searched and hunted and emailed until I was blue in the face but finally faced defeat and gave up on finding a supplier of heels and shanks.
I just chucked out the lasts this January…
I wish you grand success on your shoe making adventure!
February 28, 2011 at 4:37 pm
ilona
i’ve made my lasts too, have exactly the same problem like you, and it makes me veeery sad and angrrrry!
That’s right – heels and shanks! where the hell to get them? there are huge suppliers and the min order is around 10000 pieces and I need only few different to trye….I think I’m gona cry….:(
December 14, 2011 at 1:36 am
Laura
I know a couple different shoe suppliers in California that you can can get shanks and heels. Saderma in Los Angeles and O. Baltor & Sons and Dermitzakis Leather Co. in San Francisco (all of their information is google-able). You can buy small amounts and they will ship to you. That is where I have gotten all my shoe making supplies.
April 20, 2010 at 6:59 pm
lorrwill
oh why did wordpress think I am anonymous. Oh, cos I forgot to sign in? My bad.
last comment is me.
April 20, 2010 at 7:23 pm
subversivesewer
I bought that book years ago, and my reaction was the same. I don’t have the book any longer. I wish they had classes like that in Florida!!
April 20, 2010 at 7:29 pm
Christina
I totally completely feel your pain. I wear more size 4-4.5. I usually just go vintage when I search for shoes. I’ve left my phone number with a few vintage stores around LA and they call me up whenever they get anything tiny.
I tried searching for some shoemaking classes in Los Angeles… and unless I pay a pretty penny to go to FIDM, no dice. :(
December 14, 2011 at 1:38 am
Laura
I took a shoemaking class at OTIS (small art school near LAX) in Los Angeles a few years ago. It was a continuing education class in the spring semester. Definitely worth looking into to see if they are offering it again.
April 20, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Deb
Thank you for researching and posting these. I caught the shoemaking bug when seeing the booties made by Luxirare. It’s difficult to find shoemaking info. I even ordered shoe lasts. Maybe a vacation to San Francisco is in order!
April 20, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Becky
I understand completely, but for the opposite reason…my size 9.5 extra-wide feet have trouble finding shoes that they can comfortably fit into as well. I’ve had to resort to men’s shoes (or at least shoes that can be unisex sizes, like Birks and Converses) on multiple occasions.
Not exactly a shoemaking course, but I did pick up a copy of Taunton’s latest Sew Stylish magazine over the weekend, and they had a tutorial for how to cover shoes with fabric. I’m hoping I can find some shoes at the thrift store that actually fit (it happens on occasion) so that I can try it out!
April 20, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Laura
I admit to being more than tempted. First of all, I have a size 12.5 foot. Add the unfortunate chronic swelling from my lymphedema, and you have feet that require custom (and often very ugly) shoes. And they’re pricey, too. One of these days, I swear I’m going to have to find out how to make my own shoes and save myself the $600+ it would take to have them made!
April 20, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Stephanie
Wicked. A student of mine brought this book to my attention recently, and I am a little tempted to play with it. It is precisely the sort of intricate, unnecessarily difficult thing I love teaching myself out of books. The courses sound like a lot of fun, though.
April 20, 2010 at 10:05 pm
The Selfish Seamstress is RUINING my life « An Erudite Slacker’s Thoughts on Humanity
[…] Newest covet: Shoemaking courses […]
April 20, 2010 at 10:24 pm
Lauriana
Shoe making WOW… That has been ranking rather high on my ‘I would love to learn’-list for quite some time. Since I have taken basic courses in pattern drafting and lingerie making, shoe making would come before millinery and probably on the same level as moulage and couture sewing techniques. I wish there was a course anywhere near where I live… Oh, and I wish I could find the supplies, the money to pay for all of it and most of all, the time to actually do it.
April 20, 2010 at 11:38 pm
CrazyVet
I can totally identify with your difficulty. I’m 3.5-4.5 US size, and even though around here and in Europe sizes usually start at 36 European, sometimes it’s extremely frustrating. Shopping for running shoes in the kids store is a plus, though.
My recommendation for you is to try to locate European brands (like Camper for example) which have very nice shoes and in small sizes. The price however, is another story… but still better (for me) than taking a shoe-making course here, which is around 3000 USD easily. I guess it’ll have to wait, then :)
April 21, 2010 at 12:28 am
lin3arossa
Yes, I’ve seen that book and have been dreaming about those classes too. But I think here in Germany, I can forget about it…
April 21, 2010 at 12:56 am
Tenshi
Oh! My! Gosh! I would soooooooooooo love to be able to make my own shoes. I’d make them coordinating with my outfits or covered in crazy fabrics like old-fashioned rose-prints. How cool would that be?
I totally sympathisze with everyone who has difficult feet – mine are big and slender and shoe sellers around here seem to think that women with big feet want either sneakers or men’s shoes. Err… no?
Guess I’ll have to go on vacation to the US one day when I’m big and earn real money for my work (*sigh* as if that’s going to happen anytime soon) and take one of those courses.
April 21, 2010 at 1:02 am
Marie-Christine
A salesman, stung by my accusations of discrimination, once explained to me that shoes stores receive a set array of sizes from the manufacturer, and that if anything that never includes more than -one- pair of 11s. Which explains why I need to hunt so far and wide for shoes. So yes, I’m tempted by all this. But then I’m allergic to most glues, so it doesn’t sound ideal :-).
The bad part is that I think bras function the same, manufacturers send out what they perceive as a sensible curve distribution of sizes (mostlyu 32DDs). I’m working on fixing that for myself.
And yes, I’ve never had trouble buying mountaineering boots, and in my book it’s better to end up in men’s shoes than in little girls’. But really…
April 21, 2010 at 3:39 am
Auntie Allyn
Wow, I may have to find those Miu Mius . . . what FABULOUS heels! Good luck to you and others who give shoemaking a whirl . . . that’s something I’ve never had an inclination to try, but I suppose it must be very frustrating for you to find shoes (even though the ones you’ve worn in your blog photos are gorgeous). I’m a size 10, and for many years the stores usually carried very limited stock in that size. But it appears that U.S. feet are getting bigger, so there’s usually more selections available.
April 21, 2010 at 5:24 am
emadethis
I keep thinking about this every time I walk into a shoe store and note to myself that the price being charged for how little material is involved is rather steep. It does look like a rather intimidating process though. But then I think–once you figure out your ideal shoe, you could make it a million times over…
April 21, 2010 at 6:10 am
CindyC
That’s exactly the kind of thing I like to fantasize about, too, since it takes me forever and a day to find something that fits correctly. But when I finally do, *gasp*, somehow it’s easier to just splurge right then and there and get it over with. Then they’re mine, worries over for the time being.
But actually, my real fantasy isn’t making shoes that fit, it’s finding the mother lode that fit and buying at least five pair on the spot before they disappear like lightning. Of course, with prices these days and tighter-than-tight budgets, unilaterally doing that would probably qualify as a divorce-able offense!!
April 21, 2010 at 7:15 am
mochimo
You shouldn’t have mentioned this! Now I’ll start obsessing about making my own shoes. It’s the dream of my life (I can never find the clothes and the shoes I want in the stores) and now you tell me there are courses to learn. London is not so far away…
April 21, 2010 at 7:54 am
Cheryl
I too had a fleeting thought of making my own shoes. Unfortunately when the nearest fabric store is over an hour away, one can imagine how hard it would be to get to courses and suppliers!
On an interesting side note however, I came across this site where you can “design” your own shoes.
http://www.shoesofprey.com
They did seem to come in some pretty small size options, and they ship worldwide! If I had somewhere I could actually wear them to, I would have a closet full!
April 21, 2010 at 8:40 am
paisleyapron
I have always wanted to make shoes. My mother had that book when I was a child and told me that she tried the process with someone else’s lasts, so it didn’t work for her. I bought the book a couple of years ago, made lasts, recycled heels and shanks from thrift store shoes and even made a pair of sandals that I wore to a wedding. They were wearable, but not great. The glueing process about made me sick. Getting the lasts the right shape is very difficult. On the bright side, I did email the author with a question and she very kindly replied with encouragement words. The end result…that I want to take shoemaking CLASSES. Not just fudge together my own things at home. Someday…someday.
August 7, 2012 at 10:45 am
Amy G
Can I trouble you to tell me the name (and author) of this book you mention? I would truly appreciate it! Thank you in advance.
April 21, 2010 at 9:31 am
jen
damn, those miu miu carved heels are amazing. I would love to take a shoe class, if for nothing else to make cute shoes for my big ass feet.
April 21, 2010 at 10:33 am
Stacy
I totally understand the frustration of trying to find small shoes that don’t have, say, Disney princesses on them. (I wear a 3 or 4). Have you tried http://www.cinderellaofboston.com? They have tiny shoes that are actually stylish and even (gasp!) sexy. I’ve gotten lots of great shoes from there, and I always get compliments on them.
April 21, 2010 at 6:30 pm
kitty
uh…making one’s own shoes (to me), is like cutting one’s own hair. A little odd!
but I can understand if you love shoes as sculptural objects. There isn’t enough time in the day to do everything! You’re lucky to be a speedy sewist.
April 21, 2010 at 7:21 pm
gabcorb
I spent a few years as a child in a Steiner school and at about age 13 we all made our own leather sandals. We made small modifications to a basic design, cut out all the leather pieces to fit our feet, and glued them together (incl buckles) – actually I think we even dyed the leather. Then we all wore them. It was fantastic and I don’t recall it being that hard – we all had sandals at the end! Mind you, the school obviously had the equipment needed PLUS we weren’t doing anything fancy-schmancy! I think a shoe-making course would be great, and if you befriended the instructor they might let you use their equipment after the course ended.
April 23, 2010 at 3:34 am
prescottandmackay
Hi there,
Great blog post… we reckon a course is the best way to start with shoemaking. Thanks for mentioning us in your blog. Glad to see there are so many people out there wanting to make shoes. Check out our blog on http://prescottandmackaythelastblog.wordpress.com/ you can see stories from students and pictures of most of our courses. As well as some really interesting interviews with our tutors in the Meet the Makers section. Great inspiration if you want to follow your dream.
I’ve added your link to our blog…
From the team here at Prescott & Mackay
April 23, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Dana
Wow! That shop in Cleveland is less than 10 miles from my house. I never knew. Makes me sad that shoe-making just isn’t a priority :(. Thanks for the info though!
April 24, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Richelle
I ordered the Mary Wales Loomis book about a year and a half ago. Needless to say I was so excited about it. I even made Lasts and purchase material. However, that was as far as it went. Also, Mary will assist you with any question you may have. She responded to my email very promptly! I even sent her a piece of fabric I was interested in using for a pair of shoes to get her opinion and she was more than happy to test the fabric out for me.
Good luck with your shoe making!
April 30, 2010 at 8:05 am
amber
That is really cool. Being a person with a difficult to fit foot, that would be right down my alley.
May 5, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Unmentionable impulse buys « The Selfish Seamstress
[…] 20-year old who survived these traumas, the Selfish Seamstress has the attention span of a fly. Her obsession over shoemaking is simmering on the back burner while she fixates on the idea of making her own bras (by most […]
February 23, 2011 at 11:39 am
Tj
Thank you for the information. I have RA and closed-in shoes hurt my feet. I just want to ware comfortable, sexy shoes that are genuine leather. I live in the Tampa Bay, FL area and I was trying to find a cobbler school and came across your blog. Please keep me informed.
Love Tj
September 26, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Candi
Trust me, shoemaking courses are key in learning the craft. There are so many intricacies that are impossible to learn on your own. I have been to two Koronya workshops and they are totally worth it if you really are serious about making your own shoes. In the meantime, check out my blog which documents my learning process in this craft.
December 30, 2012 at 7:48 pm
Kristen
Candi , I saw your blog and was looking for contact info. I live in Atlanta and have a few questions for you! Thanks !
January 11, 2013 at 8:04 pm
Kimberly
What is your blog address? Thanks, Candi.
October 10, 2011 at 11:02 pm
noah
Do you know the best school in LA or SF for learning to make high heel shoes. Do not laugh but I am a man in my late forties and have discovered I have a passion for shoes. I am a graphic designer by training so have a creative drive that I would like to put into making shoes. Any suggestions would be great
December 13, 2011 at 4:35 am
RHAE
YOU CAN BUY SHANKS AND OTHE SHOE MAKING SUPPLIES AT SHOE REPAIR SUPPLY STORES, TRY ON LINE AT KAUFMANSHOE.COM, YOU CAN BUY A LAST AT SHOEDO.COM AND ALSO ON EBAY
March 8, 2012 at 5:17 pm
nora
Do you have class in L.A or O.C
June 16, 2012 at 6:21 pm
Stanley Parris
i have always wanted to make men shoes,is their a course near miami
August 27, 2012 at 5:34 pm
sadye
Are there any classes in los angeles?
January 11, 2013 at 8:02 pm
Kimberly
Yes, 2nd that. Shoes sell for so much in Los Angeles. Looking at Neiman’s in Bev Hills — I’d like to try it! Where do I go? Sculptural approach with exotic animal features is my thing — I’d love to sell them too. Is it possible, or only possible for designers who pay Someone Else with 10 yrs. training to do all the work?
October 17, 2012 at 5:25 pm
monicativeron
I would like more information about make shoes in London,if you can.Thanks a lot Monica
August 15, 2013 at 5:36 am
henrydeclan
hi
your site has helped me in building my shoe making career, thanks so much. i will like to know the type of glue i can use for my high heel ladies sole.
which sole glue should i use. the one i am using currently leaves mark on the leather and cant be cleaned once dried.
thanks
Henry from Nigeria
May 3, 2014 at 3:02 am
Giselle
OMG! I was gasping when I saw Miu-Miu shoes. That was wooden carving right?
July 18, 2014 at 1:27 am
Nicole
I would like more information about the shoe making workshop
Please give me instructions on how to register!