Sewing Pointe Shoes

Earning pointe shoes is an honor and comes with the responsibility of sewing one’s own pointe shoes. This is the responsibility of the student, not parents.

Pointe shoes should only be purchased after a student’s instructor has invited them to begin their training en pointe. Shoes should be purchased in person and fitted by a professional fitter. Before sewing ribbons, the purchased shoes should be brought to class so that the instructor can verify proper fitting. Only after this step should the student sew their ribbons.

Items Required

  • Pointe Shoes: after fit is verified by your instructor
  • Ribbon: either sold in one 2.25 meter length requiring it to be cut, or as four separate pieces usually including pre-sewn elastic
  • Elastic: usually sold as one long piece which will need to be cut
  • Needle and sturdy thread or non-flavored dental floss: Using a sturdy thread prevents breakage and re-sewing
  • Safety pins or straight pins: by pinning your ribbons you can verify proper placement and avoid re-sewing

Steps for Sewing Ribbons

  1. Fold the material at the back of the shoe forward and down so that it is taught with the sole of the shoe.
  2. Mark each side on the cotton lining where the back of the shoe lays flat. This method usually gives an accurate placement. Ideally, the ribbon should be sewn where the dancer’s arch is so that the shoe molds to their foot and the ribbon pulls the shoe tight to their arch. You may need to adjust accordingly depending on the style of shoe.
  3. If necessary, cut your ribbon into 4 equal lengths
  4. Fold your ribbon satin side to satin side twice to make a 3/4 square with the non-satin side facing up. This prevents the ribbon from fraying on the inside of the shoe.
  5. Place the ribbon forward of the mark you made earlier and pin. Do the same for the other side of the shoe.
  6. If you chose to purchase ribbons with elastic sewn into them, ensure that the elastic will wrap at the Achilles (back of the heel) when the ribbon is wrapped and tied prior to sewing. There is a longer and shorter piece of ribbon on this style; the shorter length is the part you should sew to the shoe.
  7. Whip stitch around the entire ribbon square on the inside of the shoe. Ensure that you only sew through the cotton lining.
  8. Do not to sew the ribbon through the binding as this will prevent you from properly using the drawstring.
  9. Repeat with the other shoe.
  10. Verify with your instructor that your ribbons are sewn correctly. They can also assist you in cutting overly long lengths of ribbon to prevent it coming un-tucked when worn.

Steps for Sewing Elastics

  1. Cut your elastic into two pieces if necessary, one for each shoe.
  2. Place the elastic near the heel of the shoe so that it will be sewn in the indent between your ankle and the back of your foot. Usually this is about an inch from the heel of the shoe.
  3. Pin the elastic on both sides and test to make sure it is the correct tightness.
  4. Once you are sure of the elastic feeling correct, sew to the cotton lining of the shoe using a whipstitch.
  5. The elastic is normally sewn perpendicular to the shoe but can be angled slightly forward as well.