Introduction To Fashion Shoemaking – Mules

Level I – 4 Day Workshop
This hands-on introductory course is for beginners who want to learn fashion shoemaking. Mastering the process of shoemaking requires patience, attention to detail, and time. By focusing on a simple shoe style – mules – you begin developing your shoemaking skills.

If you think that you are not creative and all thumbs, then this is the course where your creative side is liberated and you find your hands.

After thirty-six years of creative shoemaking, students still amaze me. This was first brought home to me in a course just after everyone had created patterns. It was late in the day and, up to this point, they all thought that they were going to make plain brown practice shoes. I simply asked, “Would anyone like to get off the outline and get creative?” Faces changed. The energy in the room elevated. The next morning, creative tigers showed up. Lesson learned by me..…lesson learned by them! Everyone, including me, had been given permission to be creative.

You will complete your glamorous mules in three days using one of the six last styles available. Fabric uppers with leather lining are the norm.

Our pre-course interview enables us to have your last (shoe form) and leather choice available when you arrive. If you choose fabric uppers, you must bring one yard of the fabric of your choice. We have many embellishments, but you may want to bring your own. Or, we can direct you to fantastic sources for all kinds of decorative accessories.

Usually held just before the LEVEL II High Heel Fashion Pump Intensive. Guys welcome.

What is Taught:

• Basic shoe pattern making
• Foot structure and sizing
• Shoe styling (what works/what doesn’t)
• Shoe assembly skills

Dates: See Registration page for current workshop dates »

Cost: $1,150
Taking this class qualifies each student for a 20% discount on all subsequent fashion shoemaking course fees.

Class Duration: 4 days

Prerequisites: Very basic sewing skills are all that is required and Sewing Boot Camp is included.

Class size: Maximum of 3 students

Class Schedule

(one hour for lunch)
DAY 1: 9am-5pm, Sewing Boot Camp

DAY 2: 9am – 5pm, The Basics

• Measuring the foot. Instruction in how style and heel height affect sizing.
• Taping the last in preparation for creating the mean form (The paper representation of the average of both sides of the shoemaking form/last).
• Insole preparation for your last style
• Fabricating your mean form and the beginning of your styling adventure.
• Styling both on your mean form and the taped last for the other foot to assess the impact of your design.
• Group and individual discussion and “creative jamming”, helping to liberate the creativity of both individuals and the group
• Finalizing your design

DAY 3: 9am – 5pm, Skills Development and Beginning of Assembly

• Cutting of all components from your patterns created in Day 2: uppers, lining, sock liner, heel cover and embellishments
• Construction of uppers (called closing)
• Lasting of the uppers over the foot form (last)
• Covering the heel

DAY 4: 9am – 5pm, Skills Development continues and Completion of Assembly

• Toe box insertion and re-lasting of toe
• Heel attaching (several techniques demonstrated)
• Sole preparation, creating your own signature sole finish (several refined fashion techniques demonstrated)
• Sole attaching
• Sock line insertion
• Clean-up and detailing
• Review
• Handing out of class notes, and source list
• Group and individual photos, shoe photos

Go to Registration page »