Visit us at the Creative Chicago Expo!

Join us at the 2013 Creative Chicago Expo this weekend!

The Creative Chicago Expo connects Chicago’s creative community with resources they need to thrive. Through keynotes, workshops, vendors and more, get professional development expertise from top local and national providers! This event is for creative individuals and organizations in design, culinary, fashion, film, music, dance, theater, literary, and visual arts–and of course, shoemaking and leather working!

Gift Certificate Discounts

For a limited time, a gift Certificate from us is discounted 20% at purchase. This is a good way to make your dollars go further to promote learning and skill building at the School. We wish you the Very Best this season! And if you’re in town next week, visit us at the One of a Kind Show at the Merchandise Mart downtown. Booth 7117 ( link is for comp tickets) We are displaying student projects and selling gift certificates as well as selling products that you could have made yourself in our Leather Work Classes. Come See us!!!

Beginning Shoemaking: 2 days – $895

You will learn how to make a pair of desert boots by hand. The school provides patterns for you based on your feet measurements for a custom fit. These patterns are used to create leather uppers, midsoles and soles for the shoes. You’ll cut out the leather, prepare the materials and stitch the leather uppers to the midsoles, glue those to the soles and then form the upper. After a few finishing details, you’ll be taking home a pair of shoes you made yourself. Includes upper leather (8 color choices), midsole leather, insole pad, thread, glue, eyelets, rivets, shoelaces, sole material, patterns, 2 full days of instruction and use of tools on site.

Fall Schedule!!!!

FINALLY! We posted the fall schedule on the Class Dates Calendar. Sign up to your heart’s content. We’re still working on the open studio schedule (sorry guys) but tentatively, there will be sessions from 7-9 on Thursday eves and 1-3 on Sunday afternoons. Just need to find staff to work those times. We’re jazzed about our second classroom. So much more space to house leather ,tools and machines. Ahhhh our heart soars……..

The Right Tools

The right tools make all the difference in whatever you’re making. At the school we have a great selection of tools for each process–and we do our best to keep the blades sharp to lower the frustration levels! For those of you who are itching to skive, cut, trim, edge, glue, form, pound or punch(all highly technical terms as you can see), We’ve got what you need. Let’s make some shoes!

Calling all Sandal Makers!

Ok People –this is your chance to have some input in some hand made sandal design. I’ve got some ideas I’ve been working on…but if you’re interested in making a pair of sandals for yourself, now’s the time to send photos, pictures, or drawings to us and get a 10% discount on the class for your efforts. There are only 6 spots in each class–so we’ll add classes if we get a lot of submissions. We’ll choose 3 designs from your offerings that can be made in a one day class and have the proper materials for them on hand. How about it?
We’ll be finalizing the designs by Friday, June 22. So send your ideas in asap–to info[at]chicagoschoolofshoemaking.com
Let the Sandal Designing Begin!

WCIU on Chicago School of Shoemaking!

Emerging Shoemaker

Katie Hastert may have found a new calling. She was a model student in her first class at the Chicago School of Shoemaking and has now signed up for the Intermediate Shoemaking Class. We’re excited to see her next pair of shoes–of her own design.

DIY Summer Fun

Crazy busy at the school these days. Making shoes, wishing we had more time to design sandals for the sandal making class (stay tuned) Exploring Leather Work Class (6/19-7/24)–only a few spots left. We’ll be posting the rest of the summer classes by the first week in June so you can plan your Summer Fun at the Chicago School of Shoemaking. Leather Work 101 is still the class fave–and is a great stepping stone to the Basic Shoemaking Class.

Toddler Shoes and Cobbler News

As you know–not only are we teaching at the school but making shoes for all ages of people and sizes of feet. Yesterday, one of my younger customers came in to pick up his new shoes at the studio.

I also began a conversation with a much admired colleague in Massachusetts to come to the school as a guest teacher–perhaps as early as this fall. Here’s some of her work. El Diablo Handmade Shoes. I love her styling and the traditional lasting technique she uses allows for some very refined shoes and boots.