ballet mums: does anyone know how to...

[allhallows]

...sew elastic bands on little ballet slippers?

Needle, thread and stitch onto the inside seam. Easy .

Not sure what else to say really...

Erm not sure what you mean by 'how', but if you mean where do you sew it then the best thing to do is push the back of the shoe down so it's like a triangle and then sew elastic either side of the flat edge of the triangle, does that make any sense at all ?

fold down the back, mark the fold and sew in that spot. go into the lining, but not all the way through.

I got dh to do it, it's really hard. We measured the elastic from inside the shoe and cut it a bit smaller, so it would give. Dh then sewed a couple of little stitches in. He said it would have been easier with a thimble.

Yes I do my dd does ballet but she is only 2. The strap should be sewn as near to where it will sit accross your dd ankle, I measured it by putting on ballet shoe tying the front so its snug round the front and then holding the strap at a comfortable stretch across the ankle and snipped off the excess and then I sewed on the straps with a darning needle. Good luck

Just put the ballet shoes on DD.. mark where the elastic needs to go.. take them off her.. sew it on. Easy to make a mistake if you have not checked where it needs to go without the shoes on her.

Ps don't forget, try not to sew on the edge as you will catch the drawstring to tie the bow at the front!

Bloody hell I am now having a bad mummy moment. My poor DD1 has spent the last 3 years with rubbish elastic straps on her pumps! I just kinda guessed where the middle was and then stuck the things on. It has always worked as well...
Can I take a night class in this or something ?

I knew about the folding down of the heel but then realised that I didn't know how much elastic to use. Stupid of me not to try the slippers on dd & measure the elastic. I've done one, guessed the length but there's traces of blood all over because I had trouble getting the needle through the slipper. Gifted at sewing I am not!

dd's ballet mistress will give me a glacial stare when she sees my pathetic effort this afternoon!

I bend the heel in, and pin the elastic in the correct position then travel for 8hrs to Scotland to get my mil to do the sewing

Related question: dd tells me I should take up the hem of her wee spotty gauze skirt. Is there a certain length it is meant to be? Anyone know?

Mid-thigh?

On the knee I was told by RAD !

Well, that's what I wondered. See I never get to see the class so I don't know if everyone else's is beautifully calibrated three fingers' width above the knee & dd's getting her ankles tangled in hers.

Where do your little girls' ballet skirts come to?

Cross-post with scatterbrain - I'll go with knee then.

Yep about knee length because their kness need to be seen during exams to see if they are bending them correctly and whatnot.

and nutc (how appropriate for a ballet thread), thanks for explaining too!

no prob

According to the rather scary lady who sells ballet shoes etc for my DD's class, the thing about folding the back of the heel in is just if you're going to put ribbons on (that's what I was going to do, as I'd always had ribbons when I was learning ballet way back in the mists of time). She said that if you did elastic like that it would be too far back and would pull on the front of the ankle/foot. Would recommend trying shoes on, and I think she said one finger width back from the seam on the inside. Have to admit that my sewing skills are worse than useless, and one of the bits of elastic came off towards the end of the first term. Just hoping I'm never required to make costumes for her...

I have taken up the hem and even also taken in the waist elastic. I had no idea I was capable of this.

Re length, dd said, yes, mummy, that's right, you see when you curtsy it has to make a certain shape, like this.

She is four. God only knows what the future holds.