If you’ve been wanting to make your own pair of tabi shoes, these tutorials will take you through the whole process step by step - from creating your own bespoke pattern right through to making the finished shoes.
I wanted to approach this tutorial a little differently from a standard print-at-home pattern. Instead of simply downloading pattern pieces, you’ll learn how to develop your own tabi shoe pattern directly from a shoemaking last. That means you can create a pair that’s completely unique to your shape, proportions, and design ideas while also learning the foundations of footwear pattern cutting along the way.
The first video focuses on the patternmaking process and shows you how to create the signature split-toe tabi design on your last. The second tutorial then walks through the shoemaking process itself - turning those flat patterns into a fully constructed pair of handmade shoes.
I cover everything from upper construction and lasting to adding stiffeners, building the sole, and creating structure around the split toe so the finished shoe feels both wearable and beautifully made.
Whether you’re completely new to shoemaking, already experimenting with DIY fashion projects, or looking to expand your footwear design skills, these tutorials are designed to help you understand not just how to make tabi shoes, but how shoemaking works as a whole.
Part 1: How to Make a Bespoke Tabi Shoe Pattern
The first stage of making a pair of tabi shoes is creating the pattern.
In this tutorial, I demonstrate how to draft a fully bespoke tabi shoe pattern directly from a shoemaking last. This process allows you to customise the fit, shape and overall proportions of the design instead of relying on a pre-made downloadable pattern.
By learning footwear patternmaking techniques, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how shoes are engineered and how flat pattern pieces transform into a structured three-dimensional upper.
What You’ll Learn in the Patternmaking Tutorial
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How to draw your design onto the shoemaking last
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How to get the pattern for the toe-split area
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How to transfer your design into flat pattern pieces
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How to add allowances and prepare patterns for shoemaking
One of the biggest advantages of this approach is flexibility. Once you understand the process, you can modify the design to create your own variations of tabi footwear - from soft leather flats and boots to more structured fashion styles.
Because the tutorial focuses on bespoke footwear patternmaking, you can use your own shoemaking last rather than being restricted to a standard downloadable pattern size.
If you’re looking for a professional shoemaking last to use for your tabi projects, you can explore our range of shoemaking lasts here: https://www.icanmakeshoes.com/collections/all-products?filter.p.product_type=Shoemaking+Lasts
Part 2: How to Make Handmade Tabi Shoes
Once your pattern is complete, the second tutorial walks through the complete shoemaking process step by step.
This tutorial demonstrates how to transform your flat pattern into a fully constructed pair of handmade tabi shoes using traditional shoemaking techniques.
You’ll learn how the upper is assembled, lasted over the shoemaking last, reinforced with stiffeners, and finished with an attached sole.
A key part of the process is learning how to construct the iconic split-toe design while still maintaining structure and durability throughout the shoe.
What You’ll Learn in the Shoemaking Tutorial
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How to cut leather or upper materials
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How to stitch and assemble a tabi shoe upper
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How to build the split-toe structure
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How to apply toe puffs and counter stiffeners
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How to last the upper onto the shoemaking last
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How to create and attach the sole
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How to finish and refine the final shoe
The tutorial is designed for both beginners looking to explore shoemaking for the first time and more advanced makers interested in developing their own custom footwear designs.
Why Learn Bespoke Shoemaking?
Learning how to make shoes from your own patterns gives you far more creative freedom than working from pre-made templates.
By understanding the fundamentals of footwear pattern cutting and shoe construction, you can:
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Create truly custom footwear designs
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Improve fit and comfort
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Experiment with materials and proportions
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Develop your own fashion footwear concepts
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Build professional shoemaking skills
Tabi shoes are especially rewarding to make because the split-toe construction teaches valuable techniques around shaping and precision patternmaking.
For anyone interested in DIY fashion, artisan craftsmanship, leatherwork, or independent footwear design, tabi shoemaking is an exciting project that combines creativity with technical skill!
Tools & Materials You’ll Need
Before starting your tabi shoe project, you’ll need a few essential shoemaking tools and materials:
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Leather for upper and lining
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Domestic sewing machine suitable for leather
If you’re new to shoemaking, you can also explore our shoemaking supplies, tools, and lasts to help you get started.
Start Making Your Own Tabi Shoes
These two tutorials are designed to give you a complete introduction to making your own pair of handmade tabi shoes - from the initial patternmaking stage through to final construction.
By combining bespoke footwear patternmaking with traditional shoemaking methods, you’ll not only create a unique pair of shoes but also develop foundational shoemaking skills that can be applied to future footwear projects.
Whether you’re a fashion student, independent designer, leathercraft enthusiast, or simply curious about how shoes are made, I hope these tutorials inspire you to start creating your own footwear!
If you make your own pair of tabi shoes using these tutorials, tag us on social media - I'd love to see your creations 💖
