Make your own shoes
Join us for a workshop to learn the Cordwainer craft.
The Cordwainer Shop is a 100-year-old family-owned business dedicated to preserving the craft of creating custom handmade leather shoes.
A Cordwainer is an artisan skilled in the craft of creating leather shoes from scratch, from drafting the pattern to cutting the leather to stitching the uppers and soles together.
Since Edward Mathews started the Cordwainer Shop in the 1930s, it has been our mission to bring comfort and style to each of our customers through quality, handcrafted leather footwear. Today, we continue that mission by teaching the Cordwainer craft here in our New Hampshire studio and at craft schools across the country.
intrinsic drive podcast:
"master crafting with molly grant"
Molly Grant was recently featured on the Intrinsic Drive Podcast with Phil Wharton! Listen to the interview to learn more about Molly’s path as a leather artisan, fine artist and teacher and what inspires her and keeps her motivated.
We wrote a book - now available as a digital download!
The Pathfinder: The Shoe that Built the Cordwainer Shop
The Pathfinder: The Shoe that Built the Cordwainer Shop is a detailed instruction book for making your own Pathfinder shoes and also details our story, which began in the 1930s. Click below to learn more about the book and how to purchase it as a hard copy or a digital download.
Make your own pair of custom shoes alongside a master leather artisan.
Molly Grant has been teaching the Cordwainer art for 25 years. Join us for a workshop in New Hampshire or at a craft school near you for expert guidance on creating a pair of shoes custom made for your feet.
meet your teacher
Molly Grant has been teaching the cordwainer craft since the 1990s.
She began leatherworking in her early 20's, first by working on her own and then by apprenticing at the Black Swan Leather shop in Portsmouth, NH, where she learned the basic skills of traditional leatherworking.
Upcoming Workshops
Click on a workshop below for more information and details on how to register, or browse the calendar for a full list of workshops.
What Our Workshop Students are Saying:
"The shoes fit perfectly. Very, very comfortable. Thank you for this once-in-a-lifetime memory."
Doris - Tennessee
"It was worth the wait. My shoes are beautiful and fit perfectly."
Susan - Washington, D.C.
"My feet finally have a future!! Thanks again for making me a sensational pair of sandals."
Debbie - California
"These shoes are a work of art as all your shoes are."
Cathy - Atlanta
Make Your Own Shoes at Home!
Want to make your own pair of shoes without traveling to a workshop? You can purchase a complete Pathfinder shoe kit, including a copy of our book, here.