Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Well I'm enjoying an evening of ballet industriousness. I have a pair of convertible ballet tights here with me now, draped across my lap. Said tights have come off the worse for wear due to being teamed with a black fleece onesie and frankly, look like they have flea debris scattered across them. Thrifty me refuses to bin them! I have armed self with a razor and have been patiently and tenderly de-bobbling. The razor doesn't seem to be working quite as well as I'd imagined. It encourages the bobbles to think about possibly separating themselves from the fabric but it's a slow process - more of a conscious uncoupling than a decisive, swift, clean break. Admittedly I've not been to particular as to where, once removed, these little black particles go. I've been absent mindedly dropping them off the side of my lap and wherever they fall- that is their home. Luckily, the more house proud amoung you will be relieved to hear that - on close inspection- I have discovered- all the black bobbles I have picked and flung HAVE NOT drifted to the floor but have collected instead, nestled snugly back onto the OTHER LEG of the ballet tights, awaiting my attention, hanging down by my side, off the corner of the sofa. So it appears the last half an hour or more has not been passed de bobbling as such but more bobble transference. Splendid. 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swanprincess Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I can imagine your disgust upon realising what you'd done put X-Factor or Strictly on to keep you occupied whilst you continue de-bobbling! And just wait until your DD starts pointe- I recently spent half an hour sewing ribbons onto my new shoes, only to realise that the shoe slipped off my heel and the ribbon gaped because it wasn't sewn at perfectly precisely the right angle (and don't even get me started on laboriously breaking in a pair of pointe shoes, then enuring classes feeling like I had bricks on the bottom of my feet- only for them to be dead after a few weeks so the pointe shoe cycle starts again....) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 I have strictly on right now! Tights have been scrunched up very very tightly whilst I have a cup of restorative tea. I really really dread things like actual proper have to prepare before you use ballet....stuff. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Would lifting them off with sellotape help? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Ooooh ooooh OK OK trying that now oh please work.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Hmmm stubborn bobbles... It's helping though xxxx 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 We had the same problem with a pair of tracksuit bottoms once. Now all tracksuits dd buys are mesh lined ones, never fleecy! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Mesh? Right. This is good. Learning. I de bobble a bit, I learn a bit..de bobble....learn.. You're Classic Balletco evening. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 YOUR. Sigh. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccolo Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I'm glad you started this thread PV. So many times I have wanted to vent about my lack of love for the needle and cotton! I've come a long way since refusing to turn up the pre primary skirt and sending Dd in to class with it down to her calves but it's always been top of my list of most tedious, tedious tasks... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 I wouldn't resent it so much if the end product was something I could crow about - look at the neat finesse, the fine detail..but everything I touch so far with a needle looks like it's been jabbed to death. Or if I'd celotaped it, it would look better. Sewing is a lost art. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccolo Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 !!! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchkin16 Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Maybe it's because I don't have that many pairs to do but I actually quite enjoy sewing pointe shoes. I find it relaxing. Can't imagine trying to sort those tights though, that's one job I wouldn't be patient enough for! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 You have to be quite boisterous to pointe shoes though, am I right? Attack them with scissors and bash them around a bit? I'm sure I recorded a documentary ages ago for DD about how you make them and then prepare them to wear and there was a dancer cutting the end bit or the soles? I can't remember exactly but at least that is a process betwixt shoe and dancer and I won't be getting involved. If DD is old enough to wear them I'm hoping she'll be old enough to sort them out to her specifications. Please can I not have a flurry of posts from people telling me the hours they've spent doing DD's pointe shoes......I won't sleep. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird22 Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 My mum is amazing at all the dance-y related making tasks, hair accessories, sewing, sparkling, all the other mums would pay her to do their child's costumes. She would make me de thread the sequins so she could glue them onto whatever costume she was preparing, it would take hours upon hours to de thread metres of sequin, so I thoroughly appreciate how tedious all dance related tasks can be! Equally tedious is when you've had a bath in ballet shoes so they mould to your foot but then you have to sit for what seems like an eternity waiting for them to dry unable to move for fear of dirtying the exam shoes! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Bath in ballet shoes??? Are these pointe shoes? But...that must have taken ages!! Could you blow dry them? The things you dancers do...must be your mentality. Patience, high pain threshold and tolerance plus perfectionism and, possibly a rich inner life that prevents boredom setting in as you sit in a rapidly cooling bath. Oh and an appreciation of the ridiculous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletqs Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I used to find wiping a wet wrung out flannel down the tights whilst still on my legs got fluff off ???? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Thankfully dd does her own pointe shoes now thanks to the fabulous daughter of one of her dance teachers who wS in charge of wardrobe at the last production who taught her how to sew the ribbons properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird22 Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Regular satin, though I did sit in a bath in a pair of pointe shoes to turn them into the comfiest soft pointes ever. I have no idea how they didn't fall apart but i wore them for my inter found and intermediate exam. They are still tucked in my cupboard, slightly worse for wear after they were my go to soft pointes for 4years but still in one piece nonetheless. Petalviolet, I did get out of the bath after about 20minutes then sat with the shoes on my feet till they dried. I was never happy with the fit if they were packed with newspaper letting them dry around my feet was the best option. I've also tea stained knickers, cut the sides off knickers and stitched clear bra straps to create completely invisible sides. Bras have had similar treatment. Never ever ever had underwear on display! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Ooooh another pearl before swine tip (me being the...er...swine) I would love to try this but I'll need DD first as stretchy as those tights are they aren't going on me that's for sure. They don't look too bad but they'll never be the same. A year ago I didn't even know what convertible ballet tights were. Or what they converted into? Now DD is trotting around the changing room converting all over the place just to impress classmates with her...convertibility. They are all wide- eyed and must have some too. Sadly this pair have lost their covetousness. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParentTaxi Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I will just say ... National dance costume. Nightmare quantities of ricrac braid and, bizarrely, the re-use of an Ikea table runner, slightly the worse for coffee stain.... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w445403 Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I'm probably a little mad but I miss sewing elastics on shoes now that DS has gone away and of course I never had to do his hair lol! I am always eager to help with hair when it's exam time and almost feel deprived that I will never have to sew point shoes I'm glad however not to have the expense!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 I will just say ... National dance costume. Nightmare quantities of ricrac braid and, bizarrely, the re-use of an Ikea table runner, slightly the worse for coffee stain.... Ugh costumes.. Not specifically ballet related but due to the higher needs of one Halloween Maleficent costume and necessary wand accessory our loft hatch opening stick/pole/gadget will still function but now looks incredibly different. It's now an evil loft hatch opening stick. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Now dd is away and taking care of her pointe shoes herself, I thought I would save a few pounds and do a spot of recycling and de-ribbon a few pairs of her old ones (there seems to be a never-ending supply of dead pointes under her bed). Unpicking ribbons from old pointe shoes isn't my most favourite occupation, especially when accompanied by my helpful feline assistant who thinks that slightly frayed ribbon makes a marvellous plaything and can't seem to be able to control the urge to pounce... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Aaaah I wonder how many of us have 'helping kitties'? That could be a whole other thread - cats and ballet. I've had to peel celotape, wash green face paint off and unravel Pom Pom tinsel out of the teeth of my cat just over this weekend. They love a bit of costume don't they! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petalviolet Posted November 1, 2015 Author Share Posted November 1, 2015 Dead pointe shoes. I've only seen alive ones and this phrase just seems so sad! They must look a bit pitiful. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 unravel Pom Pom tinsel out of the teeth of my cat Could it be that this is the first time ever in the history of the English language that these words have appeared together in the same sentence?!!! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccolo Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 ...and where can we buy your books PV? You surely must have written a few. Any chance of Dance Mums & Daughters' in paperback? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waltzingmatilda Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 ooh! Please forgive me for my ignorance but dead pointe shoes? DD has only had pointe shoes since Sept and now does a 20 min session on pointe once a week - how long will they last approx? Will it be obvious that they have passed their best? I know it sounds funny but I really have no idea - will it be obvious ie they droop in the middle and look odd? I have so much to learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spooky Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 ooh! Please forgive me for my ignorance but dead pointe shoes? DD has only had pointe shoes since Sept and now does a 20 min session on pointe once a week - how long will they last approx? Will it be obvious that they have passed their best? I know it sounds funny but I really have no idea - will it be obvious ie they droop in the middle and look odd? I have so much to learn. Dead point shoes refers to shoes which no longer provide adequate support for pointe work because of wear and tear. How long they last is extremely variable and depends on many factors but your dd will be able to tell when the shoe is nearing the end of its life from how it feels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Waltzingmatilda I heard your heart drop as you realised the potential cost of pointe work!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flora Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Our current record in pointe shoes is Freeds which lasted DD basically one pointe lesson before they became too soft/dead. Apparently they were the strongest Freeds make. They looked stunning- much nicer for her feet than Bloch I have to say. I don't understand why DD feet seem to destroy them but it's very nasty on the wallet that's for sure. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I think our family is possibly in the running for the weirdest ballet related tasks of the week. My husband is currently in the garage making a flying carpet that somehow involves the motors from an old electric wheelchair. (No, I have no idea....). I am merely sticking "jewels" on a 4ft tall "magic lamp" which is a bit easier thankfully. Oh don't you just love Showtime.... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now