How to sew ballet shoes? (6 Easy steps)

Ballet can be a really difficult to practise or perform without the right shoes. It requires the dancers to stand right on the tip of their toes. Ballet shoes are designed to profide more support to the dancer’s form and make movements easier. Even then, it is still painful and ballet shoes, which are usually quite expensive, tend to wear away very easily.

Making your own ballet shoes are budget friendlier than having to purchase the several pairs to go thorough. We’ll walk you through the steps of making your own ballet shoes today.

Supplies needed

• Sewing Machine: A cobbler sewing machine would be the best; however if you do not have one, use a heavy-duty sewing machine that can sew leather.
• Thread: Use a heavy-duty thread, such as a bonded nylon thread specially designed for sewing leather. It comes in a range of weights that go well with various leather thicknesses and weights.
• Needle: Use a sturdy, large needle with a specially designed tip for quickly piercing leather; preferably size 90/14, 100/16, and 110/18 needles. Additionally, do not be surprised if a needle breaks when you’re sewing thick sections; therefore, make sure you keep spare needles on hand.
• Fabric for your shoe soles: You should use a durable material to build your ballet shoes. Satin or leather are the two most often used materials for ballet soles. Purchase soft and premium quality satin or leather. They are not only a strong and long-lasting solution, but also a comfortable surface to stand on.
• Fabric for your shoes top: To have the most sturdy ballet shoes, you can once more choose satin or leather for the top half of your shoes. However, you can also choose canvas, silk, or cotton for the top of your shoes if you like a more breathable, comfortable fit material.
• EVA foam (1/4 inch thick).
• Thermolam’s four upper interfacing sections
• Pellon SF101 Interfacing
• Sewing Tape Measure
• Chalk.
• Shoe clips, elastic, or ribbon for embellishment

How do I sew ballet shoes?

Step 1: Take the shoes’ sole measurements and cut them.
With chalk, trace the shape of your foot on the satin or leather fabric, then cut off the sole from that. You will need to sew the pieces together, so while cutting, leave about 1/4 inch between the material’s edge and your foot.
Step 2: Take the shoes’ top measurements and cut them.
A layer of Pellon SF101 interfacing can be added to increase rigidity if you’re using a thin fabric, such as silk or cotton, for the shoes’ top. Cutting four inches more than the cut-out outline of the sole serves as a guide when making the uppers for ballet shoes. This will guarantee that there will be enough fabric to cover your foot’s top and sides.
Step 3: Take the shoes’ foot hole measurements and cut them.
Measure your ankle size with a sewing tape. Cut that section away from the top fabric’s cutout that is located just above the heel, adding around 2 inches to the original dimension. This is where you will put your feet.
Step 4: Start the sewing procedure.
In the final step, sewing is required to join the top fabric and bottom sole. The optimum outcome can be achieved by sewing with a leather sewing machine. A leather sewing machine will also enable you to create strong, uniform stitches. The detailed step-by-step process for sewing is as follows:

• To the best of your ability, center the thermolam as you fuse it to the underside of the top parts. The right sides of the uppers from the outer and lining should be joined, and only the inner curve should be stitched.
• Around the bend, make little cuts. Right sides together, spread the two pieces out, and position the heel’s outer and lining. Stitch this line.
• Topstitch around the shoe opening 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch from the edge, folding back the pieces to bring the wrong sides together.
• Along either side of the heel seam, topstitch in two lines.
• Mark the back of your sole with your stitch guide. The outside fabric should be on the correct side of the sole when aligning and attaching the final upper’s raw edges to the sole.
• In order to prevent puckers, make an effort to distribute evenly. Sew along the stitch pattern you previously drew.
• Along the seam’s entire perimeter, make notches. Turn the right side out, and presto. You’re done now.

Step 5: Shoe inserts
EVA foam can be used to create custom shoe insoles. On a piece of 1/4-inch thick EVA foam, trace your stitch guide, cut the piece out, and place it into your shoe. If the foam is too large, you can cut it to the proper size.
Step 6: Designing Your Shoe
The last step in producing ballet shoes is shoe design. For adornment, you can either use elegant ribbons, decorative elastics, or shoe clips. Ribbons and elastics also aid in maintaining the comfort and security of your ballet shoes. We will discuss both methods of attaching ribbons and elastics to your ballet shoes.

• Attaching ribbon to ballet shoes

A special ribbon, typically made of polyester or nylon, is used for ballet shoes. Normally, they arrive as a single, long ribbon with a width of an inch. You can trim them to fit your shoes.
Follow these steps for sewing ribbon onto ballet shoes:
The ribbon should be divided in half twice. Ballet shoe ribbons should be at least 22 inches long, but you can alter the length to suit your tastes.
The heel of the shoe should be folded so that it rests flat against the sole. Along the diagonal line that this fold creates and which runs down each side of the shoe, you will stitch your ribbons in place. To make it simpler to lay your ribbons, add a pencil mark on this line.
Place your first ribbon up against one of the lines you drew when you folded the heel of your shoe. Use a sewing pin to secure it to the side of the shoe. The ribbon on the other side will require a similar procedure.
In order to provide a somewhat cleaner appearance, fold the ribbon’s raw bottom edge under. Then, sew along one of the ribbon’s long sides from the bottom edge up to the binding edge of the shoe, starting at the long side closest to you.
The needle should be used to pierce a small portion of the shoe lining while working from the inside of the shoe, then re-enter.
Once a little portion of the lining is on your needle, insert it through the ribbon’s underside and draw the thread until it is taut. To make stitches, carry out this procedure repeatedly along the ribbon.
When you reach the edge of your shoes’ binding, fold the ribbon flush against it for a neat appearance. Along the binding’s top, sew your stitches.
After attaching the ribbon to the binding, sew again along the long remaining edge and then along the short folded final edge.
Following the completion of your stitching, thread your needle through the stitched loop, knot the thread, and then trim the thread just before the knot to prevent a loose thread.
To ensure that your shoe has a ribbon on either side, repeat this procedure with the other ribbon.
To sew ribbon on your other ballet shoe, follow the same procedure.

• Attaching elastic to ballet shoes

Ballet shoe elastics are specialized materials that are supple yet do not chafe as much as ordinary elastics. They are typically 1/2 inch wide.
Follow these steps for sewing elastic onto ballet shoes:
Wear your shoes. Next, take a 90-degree angle with your leg and foot while standing.
Carefully slip one end of the elastic into the top seam, just behind your heel. Wrap the elastic around your ankle, marking the length with a pencil.
Put on your other shoe and repeat. After taking off your shoes, trim the elastics as needed.
On the interior of your shoe, place one edge of the elastic. Keep one of its corners on the lining’s top edge and the other one close to the back seam’s center. You may secure it while stitching by using sewing pins.
Sew the elastic’s edge to the inside of your shoe. Using the needle, pierce a little portion of the shoe lining while beginning on the inside of the shoe.
When you have a small portion of the lining on your needle, poke it through the elastic’s underside and tighten the thread by pulling. To attach the elastic to your shoe, repeat this procedure along the edge of the elastic.
The second elastic edge should be aligned in a mirror image of the first edge to the side of the rear seam on the opposite side. To attach the elastic’s edge to your shoe lining, repeat the stitching procedure.
To sew elastic on your other ballet shoe, follow the same procedure.
There you have it. You just finished making and designing your own ballet shoes.

Watch this video to understand the process better:

Summary: How to sew ballet shoes

Making your first pair of ballet shoes will almost certainly involve making a lot of mistakes. You will correct them as you gain experience and discover the proper method.
Once you’ve mastered sewing your own ballet shoes, you’ll enjoy wearing them and feel comfortable because you’ll have them properly made to suit your needs.
We have put together these two brief videos to assist you in your quest for making your own ballet shoes:
How to make ballet shoes: https://youtu.be/G0kTPO9GH80
How to sew ribbons and elastics on ballet shoes: https://youtu.be/mxqpb2s1SyI
We hope you have got you covered in this post and will come up with similar posts soon. Till then, sew your own ballet shoes and share with us about how it went.

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