Select a Class by Discipline |
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Open Studio Categories
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leather
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Leather Craft |
Shoe Craft |
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Leather Craft 101
Our most popular class, the Leather Craft 101 skills course has been developed to focus on building skills in traditional leather crafting. 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 Leather Craft 101 course is a beginning skills course that offers hands-on step-by-step leather work instruction. Course highlights include:
No previous leather smithing experience is needed to be successful in this course. |
Course Fee: $160 - Supply Fee: $15 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.
Course Fee: $150 - Supply Fee: $25
Location: MFS Campus
Location: MFS Campus
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. 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.
No experience required, just enthusiasm and your hands. If you wish to make a belt for another person you must bring their actual waist measurement - not belt measurement. Course Fee: $75 - Supply Fee: $15
Location: MFS Campus |
Handmade Leather Dog Collar & Leash
This is a perfect class for beginners and more advance leather workers. Students will use some basic design features to create a matching dog collar and leash for their pup (sorry, dogs will have to stay home). Leather dog collars and leashes are made of premium hides that are selected for thickness and consistency of the leather. Unlike nylon dog tack, leather does not become slippery when wet and it does not retain any mildew smell. Leather doing tack is both classic and classy. During this quick workshops students will learn how to make a collar and leash from a supplied pattern. Students will chase colors and hardware to compliment their created items.
No experience is required. Please make sure to bring the measurement of your dogs neck with you to class. Course Fee: $85 - Supply Fee: $20
Location: MFS Campus |
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Creating a Custom Leather Wallet
In this workshop you will learn the process of making a handmade leather wallet from raw materials to a polished and finished item. Leather craft requires obsession over details, a keen eye, and a generous amount of patience. After this workshop students will have gained a grasp of a few key leather craft skills that can be used to make thousands of other items. We begin with the design and construction of a simple paper prototype. From there we cut, stamp, punch, edge, sew, burnish, and finish your handmade creation.
No experience required, just enthusiasm and your hands! Course Fee: $135 - Supply Fee: $15 Location: MFS Campus
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Handmade Classic Leather Tote Workshop
During this one-day introductory bag making class, students will build a classic simple leather tote from a pattern. This tote features sturdy reinforced handles that soften over time, the option of an inside and outside pocket, antiqued brass rivets, and a handy key loop. Metal hardware and leather color options personalize the build. Beauty, character and elegance define this classic leather tote that you will cherish forever!
No previous leather smithing experience is needed to be successful in this course. Course Fee: $145 - Supply Fee: $35
Location: MFS Campus |
Handmade Leather Messenger Bag Workshop
This course is a wonderful introduction to making a leather bag. During this two-day course students will be walked through basic construction techniques required to make a leather messenger bag from scratch. Similar in function to backpacks, messenger bags ensure comfort while carrying heavy or bulky items, yet easily allow access to the bag contents. They are incredibly versatile, stylish and easy to carry while walking, riding a bike, or flying on an airplane.
This course is designed to be the perfect starting place to learn fundamental bag construction. During this class, the student will be guided through making a simple messenger bag and will have the opportunity to choose from several basic designs, color choices, and embellishments. No previous leather smithing experience is needed to be successful in this course. Although, for the novice leather crafter this course can be a great skill builder in the art of bag construction. The displayed pictures do not accuracy represent the product students will construct. The basic form is represented, but the actual bag will differ in designs, color and embellishments. Course Fee: $250 - Supply Fee: $60
Location: MFS Campus |
Shoe Craft
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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: $140 - Supply Fee: $20 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. 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 or pre-made soles and this is not a “kit.” We do use a set-pattern for uppers that dictates foot measurement and therefore the width cannot be altered. Students must have the hand-strength to cut leather and the dexterity to hand-sew leather. In 2024, we pan to offer a custom shoe class for the intermediate leather craft student that is much more involved and offers true custom shoes starting with a custom shoe last. |
Course Fee: $230 - Supply Fee: $40 Location: MFS Campus
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Creating Handmade Leather Sneakers
When visiting a sneaker-making class in action one instantly gets the sense that students here leave with much more than a pair of custom sneakers or even the knowledge of how to make them. Our students leave with a sense of wonderment, fulfillment and flow.
This simple 1-day workshop is designed to teach you how to make your own pair of simple good-looking sneakers. Students will learn how to hand craft a pair of shoes in their desired size, and walk away with their finished pair in only a matter of hours. Students will select their design from a few options and a choice of leather I colors and styles. After cutting and punching, students will hand-stitch their uppers and then fasten the uppers to sneaker soles using traditional shoemaking techniques. This is a beginner level course, all skill levels welcome! Men’s & women’s styles and sizes available. In this workshop the student does ALL the Work. We use a set-pattern and pre-made sole that dictates foot measurement and width that cannot be altered. Students must have the hand-strength to cut leather and the dexterity to hand-sew leather. In 2024, we pan to offer a custom shoe class for the intermediate leather craft student that is much more involved and offers true custom shoes starting with a custom shoe last. |
Course Fee: $145 - Supply Fee: $60 Location: MFS Campus
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Designing & Crafting Leather Sneakers
Intermediate Level
Once you get the shoe-making bug there is no going back! The love of shoe-making is something that resonates to the core. Once you take an introduction class (Sandals, Moo-Toe, or Sneakers) you are ready to move to the next step - design.
Similar to the 1-day sneaker workshop this course will teach you how to design and craft your own pair of simple leather sneakers. Students will start by casting their own feet to learn about their unique feet attributes. They will use this 3D foot model to design a pair of leather sneakers. Once design is accomplished students will transfer 3D drawings to 2D patterns. The following day is a full day of shoe-making - cutting, skiving, punching, setting, burnishing, and stitching until their uppers are ready to be attached to their soles. Shaping and polishing is the finishing step. The only thing left, is to walk away in your own shoes! This is an intermediate level course. Students are required to have take a previous shoe course at the Michigan Folk School. If you have taken a class elsewhere or have shoe-making experience please email us at registrar@mifolkschool.com and share your story before you register. Men’s & women’s styles and sizes available. In this workshop the student does ALL the Work. We use a set-pattern and pre-made sole that dictates foot measurement and width that cannot be altered. Students must have the hand-strength to cut leather and the dexterity to hand-sew leather. In 2024, we pan to offer a custom shoe class for the intermediate leather craft student that is much more involved and offers true custom shoes starting with a custom shoe last. |
Course Fee: $225 - Supply Fee: $75 Location: MFS Campus
