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leather
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Beginner Courses |
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Leather Craft 101
Working with leather is a meditative artisanal quest for authenticity and quality. Learning this trade can offer a DIY solution to create many items of everyday use. Our Traditional Skills course is a beginning leathercraft class that offers hands-on step by step instruction on the use of leather tools, transferring patterns, simple stamping, dyeing, stitching, and finishing. While this course is geared toward the beginner, those who have some experience with leatherwork will greatly benefit by honing their skills and adding advanced techniques. Students in the Traditional Skills course will use remnant leather to learn and perfect the techniques taught during the course. All of this skill-building will lead students to work on several projects including a final project of an envelope clutch, laptop sleeve, mason jar cozy, or minimalist wallet.
Course Fee: $150 - Supply Fee: $25 Location: MFS Campus
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Crafting Classic Moc Toe Shoes
Aptly named for the moccasin-like-style stitching at the toe, these shoes are now a serious fashion statement. The finished shoe is an equal part of style and ruggedness combined with your quality artisan construction. This class will benefit both the novice as well as the experience leather smith. For the novice, you will be introduced to the art of leather work over the course of 2-days and create an outstanding pair of wearable shoes. For the experienced leather smith, you will learn to work with the subtle nuances of footwear design and to create a quick shoe last for advanced design. Students will choose between making a classic low-top shoe or a chukka-like boot and will be supplied a pattern in their appropriate shoe size. Students will also choose the color of the leather and the type of rubber sole to be used. Students will perform all the operations of measuring, punching, cutting, and sewing the uppers, assembling them to the midsole, and preparing and gluing a heel (if desired) and rubber sole. Shoes will be finish with a leather oil rub and round-pack laces.
In this workshop the student does ALL the Work. There are No pre-made leather uppers, pre-made soles and this is not a “kit.” Therefore, students must have the hand-strength to cut leather and the dexterity to hand-sew leather. Course Fee: $225 - Supply Fee: $50 Location: MFS Campus
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Crafting a Custom Leather Belt
Spend time with us learning the art of leatherwork by crafting a high grade leather belt. You will learn to cut a belt blank straight from the hide and naturally dye your leather belt black, brown or natural. Once sized, you will punch holes, add a buckle (many to choose from) and finish and burnish the edges to make a professional-looking belt. Enrollment is limited to ensure everyone receives personal attention. No prerequisite skills are required. These are perfect items to give as gifts and once you know leatherwork you can use that skill over and over again to create all sorts of items.
Course Fee: $75 - Supply Fee: $15 Location: MFS Campus
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Sandal-Making Workshop
In this beginner shoemaking workshop, you will learn to make your own custom pair of handmade leather sandals from a handful of simple sandal designs as a jumping-off point for you to modify & customize a pair of dream sandals.
The workshop begins by exploring your feet and creating a custom sole. Then each step of the sandal making process is carefully explored through demonstration, talking points, and hands-on work. From shaping your leather soles and attaching heels (if desired), to cutting straps & insoles, the process will provide you will the skills necessary to continue a sandal making adventure. Then, once you walk a mile in your handmade custom-fit sandals, no other sandals will compare. This is an introductory leather/shoemaking class and thus no previous experience with leather/shoemaking is needed. Once you learn the basics there will be more advanced leather and shoemaking techniques taught in intermediate classes. Course Fee: $120 - Supply Fee: $40 Location: MFS Campus
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Leather Mask Making Workshop
In cosplay, Renaissance festivals, Halloween, and most famously at Mardi Gras, leather masks, whether simple or elaborate, elicit delight and surprise. Learn the basics of wet molding a flat piece of leather, and turning it into a 3D mask. Personalize your project using pattern tracing, leather cutting and coloring, tool embossing, design stamps and acrylic color pens. In the end you will create a high-quality leather mask and the skills to replicate your experience No previous leather experience is necessary.
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Leather Work: OPEN STUDIO
For students who have completed an leather course at the Michigan Folk School or have approval from the Leather Smith Instructor, we offer access to our Leather Shop beyond our classes. Each session is 4-hours session is offered Sunday mornings and afternoons. Leather Work: Open Studio is an affordable way to have access to tools and equipment as well as the supervision of an experienced studio manager. It's a great way to finish what you worked on in class, or start a brand new project.
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