bespoke shoes
The Autumn 2023 shoemaking class for returning shoemakers has been filled. Thank you all for your patronage and for getting the word out. Your enthusiasm to learn and ambition to hone your skills inspires us all.
Starting on Sunday, August 27, 2023, I will teach another sandal making class at the John C. Campbell Folk School. The class runs through September 2nd. Last year we got so much attention and so many compliments. Come and learn to make sandals that you design specifically for the size and shape of your feet. Bring embellishments from home to personalize your sandals or choose from my collection of buttons, beads and semi-precious stones gathered over a lifetime. I will introduce as many shoemaking techniques I can into the course.
Last year we had questions like: Is this an advanced class? The answer is ‘no’. You, too, can make yourself a custom pair of sandals for your feet, no matter what the size.
This link will take you to my class in the John C. Campbell Folk School catalog: https://folkschool.configio.com/pd/1495/make-your-feet-happy?st_t=2077&st_ti=2486&cid=2527&returncom=productlist&source=search
What a surprise to find out my picture is on page 38 of the March/April issue of Asheville Made. Last month I attended the Natural Dye Interest Group at Local Cloth. I was also trying out my leather needles on their sewing machines to find out if any of their machines would sew leather for my sandalmaking class. Little did I know the photographer was shooting for Asheville Made. I’m on the previous page too but in quarter view. Any publicity is good publicity, right? Too bad the caption on my photo didn’t include my web address.
Reserve your spot now for my beginner shoemaking classes that start in January. See the Toe River Studio Tour booklet that is out now for the Autumn tour. My ad is on page 10.
Class size is limited to five. Let me know if you have availability for other days of the week. I will open additional sections for the class as the seats fill. Early registration recommended.
Shear delight to teach sandal-making at the John C Campbell Folk School. My students were a fascinating bunch of talented, hard workers. The campus is gorgeous and enchanting. It was my great good fortunate to teach in the well-appointed wood carving studio, updated over time and built nearly 100 years ago. The school staff was welcoming, generous and genuinely helpful. My housing was oh-so-charming. I have so many stories to tell. I am on the schedule to teach sandal-making next August too.
Come by on Sunday, May 1, 2022, 2-4 pm
Bring your dream shoes to life
121 Montana Avenue, West Asheville
There will be a drawing for fabulous prizes!
Deborah’s School of Shoemaking is well underway. These students are taking Shoemaking 101, Oxford or Derby. The beginner class teaches all of the skills to make a pair of cemented shoes of their own design. The class is taught with demonstrations at each stage of building followed by hands on practice of each skill. Students will walk away from the course with a pair of shoes made to fit their feet.
I got some publicity in Mountain Xpress for Deborah’s School of Shoemaking. I recently dreamt up this image of me posing as the Virgin of the Guadalupe and using lasts as the light rays from my halo. I’m so pleased Mountain Xpress used my photo and what an honor for my new school to be featured. Check out my School page because classes are forming all the time. Gather some friends together and we can have a class time whenever works for you.
Imagine my delight when Julyan Davis agreed to do a trade with me for one of his paintings, Creek Study II. He asked if I had any interest in making a Twenties-inspired shoe. Who me? Julyan picked the leather colors and I chose to do a two-tone oxford.
What a blessing when a local man finds me to make him a pair of oxfords. This was my first time working in shell cordovan. What an honor to work is this exalted leather. Gabe was patient with me for I went on to make a second pair of fitters in order to further modify the lasts for his feet and get the perfect fit. We are both pleased with the final results and he even said they were worth the wait.