Such an amazing experience. I went into the weekend having never done anything with leather or shoes, and came up with a custom pair of leather boots I made myself. I cant recommend this school enough! If you want to learn to use leather or make shoes, here is the place to do it!

I took the Boot Camp class and learned so much and had a really great time. I already signed up for two more classes! I was a little nervous going the first day because I had never done anything with leather before but it was so relaxed and the instructor, Naomi, was so good at explaining things, listening to questions, and working with us through everything. I went from not having a clue to having a solid foundation of knowledge and I cant wait to learn more. Plus I have a new wallet and a book cover and already fixed a couple belts I didnt know how to fix before.

If you want to learn leather working or shoe making this is the place to go! Its a wonderful facility with experienced teachers who are a joy to work with.

I took the introductory class (Leather Work 101) and it was great! Yohance was incredibly patient and knowledgeable and was a fantastic teacher. I made a cool clutch purse and I look forward to using it. The space is inspirational and fully stocked. I highly recommend this class!

Great place to learn leather crafting. Staff is knowledgeable and helpful. Im on my third class and anxious to learn more.

Cannot state ENOUGH how awesome this class was. I’ve done the paint and sips, the candle making, and the DIY pottery classes and I’ve always been a little bit “meh” about the products I’ve walked away with (mostly because I’m a work in progress, let’s be real & forgiving). At the Chicago School of Shoemaking I walked away with a belt that I was BLOWN AWAY with, and I made it myself! They have every tool imaginable, the space is incredible, the things you make are ACTUALLY useful and not just for show, and you can walk away with a product you’re really excited about. One of the students in my class said “I’ve never been so excited about a belt in my life!” Onto the instructor: Yohance. CRAZY good at giving us detailed, step by step instructions and what I really appreciated is he’d watch us closely and make sure we were doing the project right, he was just as invested in our projects as we were. Out of all the DIY classes I’ve ever taken he’s been the best. You could tell he had a strong passion for leatherwork, which made me care more. Will return & will recommend 10/10, I suggest the leather making 101 workshop and I’m going to start exploring other classes as well.

Beautiful experience, very nice instructor and students.

I have taken many classes from here. Great instructors, well equipped studio, plus every machine and accessories you need to create beautiful leather pieces!!! ❤️

Took a class here with my friends and had a great time. If you like DIY type things where you get to walk away with something useful, this is a good place to go. I made a belt all within the 3 hour class and wear it every day now!

A jewel of an opportunity to learn a new skill in life....and the result of the Leather Work 101 class for me is a phone case that can slip into my belt, or held as a clutch. I highly recommend this class in a relaxing setting and taught by wonderful instructors.

Took Shoemaking 101 (the desert boot option) with Sara. She was an absolute treat to work with and I learned so much. It is obvious from the first minute that she is an expert and wants to make sure you become one too! Her hands on instruction guided us through all the steps at the perfect pace and our class size was great for really being able to master the techniques. I left with an awesome pair of shoes that I plan to wear for years. Not to mention the endless compliments when people learn I made them!Definitely recommend this to anyone with a weekend to burn, who wants to venture into something amazing and creative.

Learned so much from a very skillful instructor. I had so much fun!

Great staff, fun classes, beautiful studio and empowering experiences!