Shoemaking Courses Online

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Shoemaking Courses Online

Learn and practice shoemaking, based on the knowledge that you will gain here, in shoemaking courses online. Beginning from pattern to the finished pair .

This is an online video platform where you can learn how to make your own shoes. The platform divided into separate step by step video courses for different types of footwear, and in each course you will learn everything about that type from start to finish. What does it mean “from start to finish”? In shoe making you can’t skip any stage of your work, because everything is important. I’m Sveta Kl

etina the creator of Shoe making Courses Online. If you are new to the world of shoe making, this page is for you. It contains all the information you need to get started learning shoe making starting today.

09/03/2026

YOU ARE ONLY LIMITED BY YOUR IMAGINATION, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

In shoemaking, you can create basically any footwear you want.

And even more interesting — you can combine different footwear types and create something that is completely your own.

Let me give you an example.

One of my students liked the idea of barefoot shoes because he needed a wide toe box. He simply didn't feel comfortable when his toes were squeezed into a narrow shoe.

So he used to buy bigger sizes to get more space.

But if you have a size 40 foot and you buy size 43 just to get enough width, the shoe doesn't really look right on your foot.

He liked the wide toe box of barefoot shoes, but he didn't want the zero-drop heel, the very thin flexible sole, or the soft construction without the usual stiffeners.

So we started combining things.

We took the wide toe box from barefoot shoes and modified the shoe last accordingly.

Then we took the upper and the appearance of an English welted Oxford. We are not making the welted construction — we are using cemented construction — but we keep the Oxford character.

And because he didn't want the stiffness of a traditional Oxford, we took the softer approach from sneakers for the back part of the shoe, around the heel.

So now we are working on a combination of barefoot shoes + Oxford shoes + sneakers.

This is what knowledge gives you.

When you know how different footwear types are made, you can take elements from one construction, combine them with another, change the last, change the pattern and create something that fits your needs and your own style.

But you need the foundation first.

You need to learn pattern making, shoe lasts, construction, sewing, lasting and how the different parts of footwear work together.

That is why my courses cover classic footwear such as Oxford shoes, loafers and sneakers, and why ShoemakerPRO includes the Pattern Making Hacks course and Footwear Design Course — so you can take what you have learned and start modifying it into your own designs.

And if you have the imagination, knowledge and skills, you don't have to keep searching for it.

https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/1-year-pro/

08/31/2026

Making shoes with fabric instead of leather is a fantastic idea, but there is one major disaster you need to watch out for!

When you choose a beautiful, dense fabric for your upper and start the lasting process, you will quickly run into a huge problem: the shoemaking glue seeps right through the fibers. Before you know it, your beautiful upper is completely ruined by permanent yellow glue spots on the outside.

Even thick fabrics aren't safe from this if you don't use the correct preparation technique! Proper shoemaking is about knowing exactly how to navigate different materials so you don't ruin your hard work at the very end.

There is a specific, professional solution to prevent the glue from ever reaching the outside of your fabric, and I explain exactly how to do it in my latest article.

👉 Read the full article to discover the solution and save your fabric shoes:
https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/toe-puff-and-counters-working-with-fabric/

👉 Want to master the entire process? Learn how to build perfect fabric shoes step-by-step in my Flat Ballets Program:
https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/flat-ballets-program/

08/25/2026

Sometimes a new student sends me a picture of a shoe they want to make and asks me, “What kind of shoe is this?”
And I understand why it can be confusing.
You look at a pair online or in a magazine and see something that looks like an Oxford, but it has straps. Or maybe it looks like a Derby, but there are elements from another footwear type. There can be so many details that, as a beginner, it is difficult to understand what you are actually looking at.
But in many cases, when you already know different footwear types, you can look at the same picture and immediately recognize what is happening.
You see the basic construction first, and then you see the additional design elements.
This is exactly why I always recommend learning different footwear types instead of trying to learn how to make only one particular shoe.
When you learn ballet shoes, Oxfords, Derbies, slingbacks, boots, sandals and other footwear types, you start to understand the construction behind the design. You can recognize which part belongs to the basic footwear type and which part is simply a design element added to it.
And this knowledge gives you much more freedom when you start designing your own shoes.
In my full shoemaking program, I deliberately built the courses this way. You start with simpler footwear and gradually move into more complicated constructions. The classic footwear types give you the foundation to understand what is happening in many designs you will see.
Then, in my Footwear Design Course, I go further into how different footwear types and construction principles can be combined. I teach the footwear map, design transfer to the last, construction rules, 3D elements and ways to upgrade existing designs.
And for my 2-year students, there is another part that I really like: Pattern Making Hacks.
These are short, focused lessons about specific footwear elements and techniques that you can use to modify the patterns you already know and create completely different designs from them.
Because this is how I see footwear design.
You don't need to memorize thousands of shoe designs. You need to understand the elements, the constructions and how they can work together.
Once you start seeing shoes this way, a complicated-looking design becomes much easier to understand—and much more possible to make.

https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/1-year-pro/

08/24/2026

The "Desperation" Wide Toe Box: A Barefoot Shoemaking Lesson

Recently, a student in my Barefoot Shoes course sent me a picture of his foot drawing, which we use for the shoe last customization process. When I looked at it, I had to smile.

His feet are naturally much wider than standard. After years of suffering and wearing painfully narrow shoes, he was desperate to finally craft something comfortable. To guarantee he would have enough room, he spread all of his toes as widely as physically possible while tracing his foot!

I completely understand this frustration, but I had to explain why this approach will actually cause structural problems.

If you create a toe shape that includes the outline of extremely spread, stretched toes, you will end up with empty spaces inside the shoe where your toes do not actually reach. This extra, unnecessary volume causes the leather upper to fold, collapse, and crease in all the wrong places when you walk.

The truth about barefoot shoe customization:
You only need to trace your toe shape in its natural, relaxed position while standing. That is more than enough to create incredibly comfortable footwear. Making proper barefoot shoes is all about calculating your personal toe shape and exact toe girth, rather than just creating a randomly, excessively wide toe box.

When you learn to customize the last correctly, you get a shoe that fits like a glove without any sloppy excess leather.

👉 Ready to learn how to modify a shoe last for true anatomical comfort? You can find the complete step-by-step course here:

https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/barefoot-shoes/

What has been your biggest struggle when trying to find shoes that actually fit your natural foot shape?

08/20/2026

Do You Really Need Reinforcement Tape in Shoemaking?

You know that I'm all for working with minimum tools and minimum materials, especially when you're a beginner. But there is a big, big stop sign here.

Recently, I saw a YouTube video showing how to make shoe uppers without using reinforcement tape, with the idea that it isn't necessary.
I want to stop right here.
If you're making proper shoes—not simply doing a DIY project—reinforcement tape is one of the materials you should not skip.
I teach my students to use two different reinforcement tapes: 4 mm and 16 mm.
Both are included in the shoemaking tools and materials kit in my 2-Year Shoemaking Program.

The thin 4 mm reinforcement tape is very important when folding the edges of the upper. It helps prevent stretching and makes the folding much more precise. We use it to reinforce the throat line and other parts of the upper where we have folding and turned-over seams.
And it becomes especially important during lasting. When you pull and adjust the upper around the shoe last, you don't want these edges stretching and losing their shape. The reinforcement helps the upper stay stable and allows you to get a cleaner and more accurate result. It also makes it easier to create two identical halves of the shoes.
The wider 16 mm tape is used to reinforce seams on the upper, including the back seams in all footwear types, and to reinforce delicate areas and sharp cuts where the upper needs additional support. We can also use it wherever the construction requires more reinforcement.

These are small materials, but they have a big influence on the final result.

And this is still a minimum approach to shoemaking. You don't need a huge collection of materials. You need to understand which materials are actually necessary and how to use them correctly.
That's why I include both reinforcement tapes in my 2-Year Shoemaking Program, together with the full shoemaking tools and materials kit.

If you're learning to make shoes and you want to make footwear that is properly constructed, wearable, and good-looking, don't skip the reinforcement step.
Learn shoemaking from people who actually make shoes.

More details about my program and the complete kit:

https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/1-year-pro/

08/19/2026

Are you wondering where to learn shoemaking online and how to get the tools and materials you need to get started?

In my 2-Year Shoemaking Program, I teach all essential shoemaking techniques and how to create a wide range of footwear styles. We start with the simplest footwear styles and foundational techniques, like flat ballet shoes or classic loafers, before moving on to more complicated constructions.

For any beginner, learning the shoemaking craft can feel difficult or overwhelming at first. But when we move forward with small, guided steps—starting with practical tasks just to learn how to sew—you will quickly gain confidence. You will lose the fear of sewing leather, working with a shoemaking knife, or using a hammer and pincers.

These are the basic hand tools we absolutely must have to make real shoes. If you have been searching for where to buy shoemaking tools and materials or exactly where to get a shoemaking tools and materials kit, I have solved this problem for you.

Now, this program comes with a complete, physical shoemaking kit that includes all the necessary tools and materials shipped directly to you!

If you want to know where to learn in a shoemaking program all included, this is your answer. A beginner in shoemaking no longer needs to spend hours trying to figure out where to buy everything. You have everything you need in one place, so you can start learning immediately.

👉 Explore the full curriculum and get your complete shoemaking kit here:

https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/

In this program, you will master:

*Essential hand-sewing and leather cutting techniques

*How to properly use traditional shoemaking hand tools

*Beginner-friendly footwear

*Advanced footwear types and complex constructions like welted shoe sole constructions, stitch-down sole making

* Making heels out of different materials

*Different pattern-making techniques and shortcuts

* Footwear design course with a practical approach

08/17/2026

The Truth About the "Tiny Details" in Shoemaking

If you are a total beginner, you probably cannot even imagine how important every single tiny step is in shoemaking!

But please, do not let this scare you away from this beautiful craft. Do not think that making real shoes is too difficult. It is absolutely not—as long as you have the right guidance.

You must understand that by following the exact steps, double-checking your work, and asking questions along the way, you will achieve incredible results.

Let me give you a perfect example: calculating the back height of your shoe.
If you make even a tiny mistake in this one simple calculation, you will end up with shoes that constantly slide right off your feet or sit completely wrong on your heel.

In shoemaking, every millimeter has a logical purpose!

https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/1-year-pro/

08/12/2026

Look closely at the video in this post. I am showing you exactly what a shoe last looks like when it is customized—one half is standard, and the other half is built up.
Here is what is so important to understand: customizing the shoe last so it fits your exact size gives you the perfect fit. But more than that, it gives you the perfect foundation.
Everything else you do—your pattern making and the rest of the shoemaking process—will be built on this good foundation. This is why getting your shoe last right will take you a very long way!
You can use this exact same shoe last over and over again. Once you have this perfect foundation, you can create more and more new designs that fit this one specific shoe last. When you do this work right from the beginning, everything else becomes easier.
Read more about how we work with the shoe last here:

https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/shoemaking.../
You are welcome to visit my 2-Year All-Inclusive Shoemaker Pro Program to check it out:

https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on.../1-year-pro/

08/06/2026

Unless you are making barefoot-style shoes, your footwear must have internal structure. Without it, your shoe will lose its shape and won't protect your feet.

But what material should you use? Leather requires intense skiving. Thermoplastics require specific heat activation.

If you want to start making shoes right now at home, the absolute easiest and most straightforward material to use is Celastic (non-woven chemical sheets). You don't need heavy machinery to work with it—just a simple solvent to activate it. Once it dries, it hardens perfectly to the exact geometry of your shoe last!

⚠️ But here is the biggest mistake beginners make: Trying to take a shortcut by buying ready-made, pre-cut celastic toe puff and the heel counter online.

Do not do this! As I always say: Pattern making is the king rule. Even for internal stiffeners, you must create a precise pattern based on your specific shoe last. If you use a generic shape, it will sit in the wrong place, look bulky on the outside, and painfully bother your feet on the inside. You also must skive the edges down to zero so the transition is completely invisible under your leather!

Because Celastic is so beginner-friendly but delivers professional results, it is the exact material I include in the physical shoemaking kit for my 2-Year program students.

Want to see exactly how to pattern, skive, and apply this material step-by-step?

Watch the full video tutorial and read the guide on my blog here: https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/how-to-work-with-celastic/

Join my All-Inclusive Shoemaker Pro program (physical tools and materials kit included!):

https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/1-year-pro/

08/05/2026

One of the most interesting moments with my new students happens before they make their first pair of shoes.

After they enroll in my 2-Year Pro Shoemaking Program, they send me their foot measurements so I can choose the correct shoe last from the shoemaking tools and materials kit included with the program.

Very often, they are surprised.

Not because they measured their feet incorrectly, but because they discover that the shoe last size they actually need is different from the shoe size they have been buying for years.

The reason is quite simple.

Most ready-made shoes are produced on standard-width shoe lasts. Manufacturers can't produce every model in every possible width, so they work with an average width that fits many people—but certainly not everyone.

From my own experience, and from measuring hundreds of students over the years, I can tell you that many people have wider feet—or narrower ones—than the standard shoe last was designed for. Every foot is unique, and a standard shoe last is simply a compromise that cannot perfectly match every foot shape.

What usually happens?

People buy a larger shoe size not because their feet are longer, but because they need more width. The shoe becomes more comfortable across the ball of the foot, but now it's also longer than it should be. The opposite also happens—people with narrow feet often struggle to find shoes that hold their feet properly.

This is one of the reasons why I always begin with measurements instead of shoe size.

A shoe last should match the shape and dimensions of your feet as closely as possible. That is why we don't stop at choosing the closest size. We also customize the shoe last according to your foot measurements, allowing it to follow the unique shape of your feet before you even begin making your first pair of shoes.

This gives you a much better starting point for pattern making, lasting, and building shoes that are made for your feet rather than trying to adapt your feet to a standard shoe.

That's exactly why every student in my 2-Year Pro Shoemaking Program begins by sending me their foot measurements. It allows us to select and customize the most suitable shoe last before the real shoemaking begins, giving you the best possible foundation for making comfortable, well-fitting shoes.

https://www.shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/

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