What you will need: Ballet shoes, Elastics, Pencil, Scissors, Pink or white thread and needle...

What you will need:

• Ballet shoes
• Elastics
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Pink or white thread and needle

First of all just check if the elastic of the ballet shoe is pre-sewn on one side. If this is the case, complete the following steps on one side only.

1)Fold down the back of the ballet shoe.

2)Make a small mark where the fold is.

3)The placement of the elastic is very important. If the elastic is sewn straight up, it won’t fit the shape of the foot. The elastic instead should be sewn with a slight forward slant so that it fits the foot’s natural shape.

3)Begin by sewing along the one side of the elastic. Be careful to only catch the lining of the shoe. This means that any stitches won’t  show on the outside.

4)Continue your sewing along the edges, except the top.

5)The elastic now needs to be sewn across the top otherwise it can pull away from the shoe. As you sew the top edge, be careful not to catch the drawstring that runs inside the material binding. Catching the drawstring can cause problems if it needs to be adjusted in the future.

6)Finish off your sewing with three small stitches on the spot.

7)Cut the excess thread.

One side is now completed, with stitching securely across four sides.

8)Repeat all previous steps on the unsewn side of the same shoe and also on the other shoe.

9)Label one shoe as right and one as left. This will create a more individual fit for each foot in the coming steps. (In addition, the shoe will naturally mould into a right and left over time.)

10)Next, adjust the drawstring on the shoe and don’t forget to tuck the drawstring in!

11)For the next stage, the shoe needs to be worn – don’t guess the measurement!

12)Find the pencil mark you made inside the ballet shoe earlier. Stretch the elastic over the foot to this mark. If it is too tight it will restrict circulation. If it is too loose, however, the heel of the shoe may keep falling off the foot.  Make a small horizontal line where the elastic meets the shoe.

13)Take the elastic over to the pencil mark you made inside the shoe. Then line up the horizontal pencil mark on the elastic with the top edge of the shoe.

14)Begin sewing along all edges as before.

15)Finally, check that the shoe is comfortable and that the elastic fits well and don’forget to write your child’s name in their ballet shoes!