FIBER COLLEGE

A Cordwainer is an artisan skilled in the craft of creating leather shoes and boots from drafting the pattern, to cutting the leather and stitching the uppers and soles together. Since Edward Matthews started the Cordwainer Shop in N.H back in the 1930s, its mission has been to preserve the craft of handmade boots and shoes. Molly Grant has already taught students to make Cordwainer Classics at Fiber College, but this is the first time she’s offered the chance to make boots. Class will begin with a brief introduction to the fascinating history of the Cordwainer Shop and its original designs. We’ll then move on to leather and color selection, learn to make a basic pattern and how to properly lay the leather. We will proceed to skive, fold and glue the uppers together to create a fully leather-lined boot upper, which we’ll then hand sew to your custom-sized leather sole.  We may use industrial sewing machines to complete the upper sewing toppling, but a hand sewn option is available. We will last and burnish the sole edges and finish the boots with a sock lining. Don’t be deterred because you’ve never made a pair of shoes before! You can absolutely do this as long as you have the strength and dexterity for hand sewing.

Please note: This class starts Thursday morning at 9 AM