How To Lace Your Ballet Pointe Shoes Properly

It is exciting to pick out your Ballet Pointe Shoes and be told you can begin Ballet Pointe. The next step is to sew on your elastics and ribbons. It's easy when you know how, and your shoes will look amazing.

You're going to need the ribbon and elastic, needle, thread, and scissors. The thread should be sturdy, and you can use unwaxed dental floss if you like. Sturdier thread means you only have to sew it one direction. Choose a needle with a large eye.

The ribbon often comes as one long piece. Just cut it in half for starters. You will figure out later, when you tie the ribbons, exactly how long they should be.

The best way to determine ribbon placement is to fold down the back heel of the shoe. Some of the shoe material, about the length of your thumbnail, will look like it's still with the sole of the shoe, but that's okay. The heel needs to be folded down into the shoe. Find the spot where the heel comes alongside the rear quarter panel, and that's where you'll fasten your ribbon. (If you had your shoe on, this would be where the highest part of the arch hits your foot.) Mark this spot, inside your shoe, with a light-colored marker or chalk.

The next step is to ensure the ribbon will not fray by sewing onto that spot and folding it under. Sew it in tiny stitches just near the top of the shoe, but take care not to sew into the vamp elastic. Keep your stitches neat and tidy but invisible from the outside of the shoe, and make your beginning and ending knots inside the shoe. Do the same on both sides of the shoe.

In order to sew your elastic into place, turn the heel of the shoe inside out so that it's easy to reach. Sew one end of the elastic into the heel, just slightly off center at the back of your foot. Do it the same way as the ribbon, with the edge turned under and using very tiny stitches. You don't want your stitching to show when you are performing ballet pointe on stage!

Put your foot into the shoe, once it has been sewn. To decide how much elastic you need to wrap around your ankle, flex your foot to about ninety degrees. Snugly wrap the elastic and tuck it down into the back of your shoe. Mark it so you remember the spot once you take off the shoe. Then you'll sew it into the back of the shoe, again taking care to use tiny stitches and avoiding the vamp elastic.

To tie your ballet shoes, put your foot through the elastic, and insert your toes into your toe padding. Then put your foot the rest of the way into the shoe, and pull the back of the shoe up over your heel. Don't pull on the shoe by the elastic, because you'll wear out the elastic.

Starting with the ribbon on the inside of your foot, pull the ribbon across the front of your ankle. Pull the other ribbon so that it crosses the first one exactly on the front. Then wrap the ribbons in two circles around the ankle, ending in the back above your heel. Tie them in a double knot, and tuck the knot into the encircling ribbon to hide it. Make certain your knot does not lie against the ankle bone, because that will hurt! Hide the knot by tucking it under the ribbon.

As you're progressing through ballet pointe instruction, you need the guidance of your teacher-and it's also a good idea to find an internet website with lots of tips and tricks.