Course on the art of shoemaking in London

Join master shoemakers Deborah Carré and James Ducker to experience the heritage techniques of handsewn shoemaking and leather work. In this 8-hour class with a lunch break, you will be guided through hand lasting, one of the most important techniques of shoemaking. This method involves stretching the upper leather over the mould that the shoes are made on. After the class, your shoes will be sent to a specialist cobbler, where they will be fitted with a sole of your choice, be it leather, Commando or Dainite before being shipped to you. Please choose the shoe size and style you would like to make at least eight weeks before the class. If you are unable to visit the workshop to try on a sample pair of shoes, please contact Carreducker for instructions.

For those wishing to dive deeper into handsewn shoemaking, master artisans Deborah Carré and James Ducker offer a 12-day shoemaking course, 8 hours per day. Using only hand tools, you will be guided through over 200 steps in the shoemaking process. This includes preparing the oak bark leather components, pulling the leather, sewing the welt, stitching the leather sole of the shoe and building leather heels. After the course, you will walk away with a pair of handsewn leather shoes that you have made yourself. Please choose the size and the style of shoes or boots you would like to make eight weeks before the class. If you are unable to visit the workshop to try on a sample pair of shoes, please contact Carreducker for instructions.