High Heel Fashion Pump Shoemaking Course

7-Day Intensive Workshop Course

Plunge into fashion shoemaking in a total, hands-on, creative design, shoemaking experience. In this course, the creative process is explored. Creativity is not something only other people have! It is part of you. We free up “creative space” by teaching more shoe techniques and concepts, making room for the birth of your creative style. Yes! You have a style….let’s find it!

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.

Even after three decades of creative shoemaking, students still amaze me! This was first brought home to me in a recent class just after everyone had created patterns.

It was late in the day, and, up to this point, the students still thought 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 zoomed. The next morning, creative tigers showed up! Lesson learned by me; lesson learned by them. Everyone in the room had been given permission to be creative.

Beginning with sizing and consideration of your foot dynamics, you learn to completely make a fashion pump. You generate your own unique styled patterns, cut and sew your own uppers. You shape your creation over the last, attach the sole and heel, and detail your dream custom shoes. It is a 50+hour intense, fun filled, creative experience for beginners and those headed for the 2 week Advanced Skills course.

No prior shoemaking experience is necessary. Keep in mind that to truly create and learn to make a fashion pump takes a minimum of 30 hours. Putting together precut components is just simple assembly, takes two days, and is not a total shoemaking experience. We are about making high fashion shoes from scratch. This course is taught in our modern, fully-equipped shoemaking workshop — not in a hotel room, not on the road, not with precut leather and components. We teach shoemaking! If you want to really “take in” shoemaking, this is the course for you.
Guys welcome.

For a preview of Bill’s workshop and teaching style, see this video at Oregon Art Beat »

Dates: See Registration page for current workshop dates »

Cost: $1,475

All materials provided.

Class Duration: 7 days

Prerequisites: No prior shoemaking experience is necessary. Some sewing experience is suggested, and sewing boot camp is included.

Class Schedule

(one hour for lunch)

DAY 1: 9am-5pm Sewing Boot Camp and Fitting (measuring the foot)

DAY 2: 9am – 5pm The Basics Day

• Measuring and fitting dynamics
• Last taping
• Creating your mean form (paper representation of both sides of the last)
• Beginning discussion about design dynamics, style, and group and individual goals

DAY 3: 9am – 5pm The Creative Beginning

• Instruction in the elements of design, materials, what works/what doesn’t
• Beginning creation of your own pattern and shoe design, review by instructor and group, positive critique suggestions
• Creation of all sectional parts from final fashion shoe design (creating pattern parts with seam and lasting allowances.

DAY 4: 9am – 5pm Skills Day

• Cut all pattern parts in leather or fabric
• Assemble all pattern parts, adding reinforcement where necessary

DAY 5: 9am – 5pm More Skills and Assembly

• Shaping of upper over last (lasting)
• Addition of stiffeners In the heel (counter) and the toe (toe box or toe puff)
• Re-lasting of your toe and heel

DAY 6: 9am – 5pm Almost a Shoe

• Cover heel and attach to shoe
• Fabrication of you shoe sole, creating unique signature sole finishes
• Sole attaching
• Insertion of sock liner and cushioning

DAY 7: 9am – 4pm We’re There

• Detailing and clean-up
• Instruction in “boo boo” cover-up and correction
• Review and questions
• Hand out of course notes and source list
• Group and individual photos, shoe photos