Things to do · Arts and crafts
Make your own pair of shoes
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Making a shoe means drawing and cutting a pattern from the last, stitching the upper, stretching it over the last and fixing on a sole, and at the end you can walk out in something you built. Short courses take complete beginners through every stage, from a one-day pair of slippers to a week-long custom pair.
DemandingOver £500 / $650A few weeksIndoorsWith othersUK and US
What you learn
Courses start with the last, the form a shoe is built on, covering last measurements and pattern cutting, then cutting the leather by hand (called clicking), sewing the uppers and linings (closing), and lasting, where the upper is shaped over the last and the parts are attached. Finishing covers trimming, edge work and polishing.
What you make depends on the course. Nottingham Trent University's students make a pair of flat sandals and a pair of heeled mules or slingbacks with fabric uppers; London College of Fashion's longer course makes three pairs, the third a loafer, court shoe or sandal to your own design; North House Folk School's class makes a lined leather boot hand-sewn to leather soles.
Ways in
| Provider | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Shoe Space, New York | Square Toe Slipper Making: one day, makes a pair of slippers | $300 |
| Brooklyn Shoe Space, New York | 6-Day Intensive Dream Shoe Making: a custom pair of boots, sneakers, flats, heels or sandals | $3,500 |
| North House Folk School, Grand Marais, Minnesota | The Squire Boot: four days, tools and materials provided (price from the June to July 2025 session page; that session was cancelled) | $400 tuition plus $275 materials |
| Nottingham Trent University | Footwear Design and Construction: 25 hours, as one week or five Saturdays | £1,100 |
| London College of Fashion, London | The Complete Shoemaking and Footwear Short Course: three pairs, no experience needed | from £3,780 |
Brooklyn Shoe Space also lists a two-day slides and mule class ($700) and a three-day sneaker class ($1,200).
How to start
- Decide how far you want to go: a one- or two-day slipper, mule or sneaker class, or a longer course that makes full shoes or boots.
- Check what the fee covers (lasts, leather, tools) and whether you must book weeks ahead for sizing, as North House Folk School asks.
- Brush up on basic sewing if you can; Nottingham Trent University says it helps, though no shoemaking experience is needed.
Where to go
- London College of Fashion: The Complete Shoemaking and Footwear Short Course UK
- Nottingham Trent University: Footwear Design and Construction UK
- Brooklyn Shoe Space: class catalogue (New York) US
- North House Folk School: Shoemaking, The Squire Boot (Minnesota) US
We opened these links on 12 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Questions people ask
Can a beginner make a pair of shoes?
Yes. Nottingham Trent University, London College of Fashion and Brooklyn Shoe Space all list courses that need no previous shoemaking experience.
How long does it take to make your own shoes?
It depends on the style. Brooklyn Shoe Space makes slippers in a day and custom shoes over six days; Nottingham Trent's course runs for 25 hours.
How much does a shoemaking course cost?
Last listed prices at Brooklyn Shoe Space ran from about $95 for a two-hour introduction to $300 for a one-day slipper class; Nottingham Trent University listed £1,100 and London College of Fashion from £3,780.
Where this comes from: University of the Arts London, The Complete Shoemaking and Footwear Short Course; Nottingham Trent University, Footwear Design and Construction; Brooklyn Shoe Space, Class Catalog; Brooklyn Shoe Space, 6-Day Intensive Dream Shoe Making Workshop; North House Folk School, Shoemaking with the Cordwainer Shop: The Squire Boot; North House Folk School, The Squire Boot session, June 2025. Opened 12 November 2026.
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