Did you know that the ribbons and the elastics from your ballet point shoes are the most important part? It’s safe to say that a point shoe wouldn’t be the same without those two elements, but how sure are we about the exact placing of where to sew them?
The functionality and the visual effect of the placing of your ribbons and elastics can change drastically even if we are talking about just one centimetre more to the right or to the left. Also, we have to think about that every foot is different and therefore has other needs, even between our left and right foot. It’s because of this that we need to know our bodies first in order to sew our ribbons and elastics at the exact spot that our physiology needs. I have fallen in the huge mistake of putting the blame on the shoe instead of taking my time to place properly those two important elements.
On today’s post we will learn to identify where is the natural arch of our foot in order to sew the ribbons and elastics of your point shoes on the right spot, offering you way more protection and better lines. Let’s get started!
1º Step | Know your feet
In order to know how to properly sew your ribbons, you should know where does your foot arch starts and finishes. Also it is vital to know where stands the middle of your plantar arch once it’s place in the shoe. This is the point that we will take as reference to sew the ribbons and elastics on the sides of the shoe.
Next, put on your point shoes and mark with a pencil on the lateral of the shoe (inside part) where your PLANTAR ARCH ends and where your HEEL begins. Repeat this step with both lateral of the shoe and on both feet.
2º Step | Sewing the ribbons
This next step is very easy. You will only have to sew your ribbon placing it above the mark that you have previously made (as seen in the photo). Repeat this step on both sides and point shoes.
3º Step | Sewing the elastics
The elastics require a little bit more sewing than the ribbons but it is not very complicated. Every point shoe is going to have two pieces of elastics that once sewn will look like an “X”. Let’s start from the sides.
The elastic has to be placed on the right side next to the ribbon that we have just sewn (as seen in the photo). It’s very important that you place it as explain and not on the side of the ribbon closer to the heel, by not doing so you will be exposing your arch completely and it will not be protect what so ever. Repeat this step on both sides of your point shoe.
Once you have sewn both sides we are going to move on to the heel. The heel of a point shoe is very well marked with a clear back seam. We are going to take this seam as our reference to place the elastics. Then take the elastic from the left side that we have already sewn and cross it over to the right side of the back seam and sew it.
Next repeat the same step but this time taking the elastic from them right side and crossing it over to the left side of the back seam and sew it down.
In order to sew your shoes correctly it’s very important to own a sewing kit that will hold all the essential items together and organised. If you would like to know which items I keep in my sewing kit watch the following video:
That’s it! With these easy tips you’ll see how your point shoes adjust to your feet with perfection, helping you avoid all those annoying and unnecessary wrinkles on the sides. It will offer you a better hold and so more security as well as a better arch line. Now you can enjoy your new point shoes with the freedom of knowing that your feet will be more protected and beautiful than ever before.
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