Footwear Design and Pattern Making
A course by Agus Golub (Abelarda Zapatos)Footwear Designer
A course by Agus Golub (Abelarda Zapatos), Footwear Designer
Discover how to make a base mold for designing footwear, and learn everything from taping up the shoe last to creating the specification sheet
Can you imagine being able to design your own shoes? Learn how to do just that by creating a footwear pattern step by step. Who knows, it might end up becoming a hobby or even your next professional venture! In 2010, Argentine designer Agus Golub changed career paths after discovering footwear design, and by 2013 had already founded her own brand, Abelarda Zapatos.
In this online course, Agus teaches you how to design and create the pattern of a loafer that is characteristic of Abelarda Zapatos. Learn to tape up the last so that you can extract a base mold for making an infinite number of models. Now get designing, using your newfound knowledge of product specification sheets, and bring your ideas to life!
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 25 downloads
The Materials
3 minutes, 19 seconds
The Taping
5 minutes, 48 seconds
Measures
8 minutes, 52 seconds
Cleaning and Gluing
8 minutes, 58 seconds
The Template Mold
6 minutes, 23 seconds
The Profile
7 minutes, 24 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin the course by meeting Agus Golub, your teacher and the founder of Abelarda Zapatos. She tells you about her career in the world of footwear, and shares some of the influences that are present in her work.
Get to know the different models of shoes and go through a brief overview of the history of the loafer, the model you're working on in the final project. Then, explore the materials you need for the process.
Agus takes you through the pre-design steps to be completed when creating any shoe model: taping the last, taking the measurements, cleaning, gluing, and preparing the profile for the closed shoe.
Start to shape the loafer. Design the profile of the upper, then work on the lining and draw the different pieces on card, applying seam allowances.
Find out more about the different types of leather, how to make a specification sheet, and the final stages. Agus wraps up by telling you how to send your design to a manufacturer.
What is this course's project?
Design and create the mold or pattern of a loafer characteristic of Abelarda Zapatos.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Students, designers, and anyone who wants to learn how to design a shoe.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is necessary to take this course.
As for materials, you need a shoe last, sheets of card, masking tape (18 or 24mm wide), scissors, a box cutter, an awl, a pencil, a tape measure, a book divider or flexible ruler, and a cutting board to protect the table.
Reviews
- 2 months ago
Excelente curso, muy bien explicado, puntual, y ameno. Perfecto para los que comienzan con este mundo del calzado.
- gilmarinarocioPLUS3 months ago
Lindo curso para los que nunca vimos nada sobre diseño de calzado. Muy didáctico y ameno
- 8 months ago
Exelente curso. Muy bien explicado. Recursos graficos muy claros y resumenes en pdf
- 1 year ago
One Question you not showing sizing it like you designed for size 9 but didnt show how to make size 8 or 7 are we gonna do all the processing for every single sizes
- 1 year ago
This is not the what I was looking for
She creates timeless leather shoes, using top-quality materials that are comfortable and durable. She makes them by hand, in small quantities, and to order, thus generating a lower consumption. She is inspired by bright colors and a mixture of textures to obtain unique combinations.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
Getting to Know the World of Footwear
- Knowing the Model
- The Materials
- U3
Preparing the Mold
- The Taping
- Measures
- Cleaning and Gluing
- The Template Mold
- The Profile
- Closed Shoe
- U4
Let's Do It!
- Design, Openwork, and Lining
- Breakdown and Cutting Margins
- Breakdown and Lining Margins
- U5
The Making
- Data Sheet
- Fabrication Process
- FP
Final project
- Footwear Design and Pattern Making
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FAQs
You’ll learn how to create leather shoe patterns—especially loafers—and design women’s shoes using professional pattern-making techniques, material selection, creative inspiration, and handcrafted assembly.
The course is designed for those with basic knowledge, so it’s intermediate level. If you already know the basics of footwear, you’ll get the most out of it.
You’ll need a craft knife, cutting mat, tape measure, compass, cardstock, painter’s tape, flexible ruler, and a shoe last. It’s also important to have various types of leather and lining materials.
Yes, you’ll learn how to draft a loafer pattern, identify its parts, distinguish different models, and hand-stitch pieces—from inspiration to finished product.
Yes, the course covers selecting and combining colors, using pastel palettes, integrating textures and accessories to create original, eye-catching designs.
Yes, part of the course involves developing detailed technical sheets, recording sizes and specifications, and preparing patterns and templates ready for handmade or industrial shoe production.
You’ll be able to design and make loafers, ballet flats, and custom women’s shoes using pattern-making, cutting, sewing, and color and material coordination techniques.