sillysally Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 Hi all, My ds needs to darn her pointe shoes. She has never done this before...Darning wasn't required in her old school and none of her friends/older peers darned either so we have no first hand experience of this. Amazingly neither does her teacher 🤔 I have researched a little on the internet but I cant find the answers to a few specific questions about the the practicalities, maybe someone here can help.... Thread - I understand crochet thread is good to use, but am not sure what thickness or colour. Any recommendations? Needles - Is a curved needle really easier to use? As for the actual darning stitches and style I have found many videos, it seems to be a really personal thing...once a dancer picks a method they seem to stick with it. I have the impression many dancers copy the teachers style. Does anyone have any strong recommendations about the stitches/style? As always thanks for any help/tips. It's really great that people are happy to share their knowledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewel Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 Sorry, my dd never darned hers. Can she use those stick on pads things instead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeverTooOld Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 This is how my teacher taught me to do mine. Some people just do around the ends but she prefers all over as shown (sorry about the grubbiness!). I used a chain stitch which was a bit tricky at first but I got used to it and there were some helpful videos on YouTube. I tried both needles and definitely a curved one is the way to go - the straight one was almost impossible to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingShoes Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 She doesn't happen to be at NBS does she? My dd has been asked to show the 1st years how to darn!! 🤣🤣 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glowlight Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 When I used to darn my dd's pointe shoes I used a spiral of chain stitch similar to what @NeverTooOld has shown you. I used to start with a circle around the outside of the platform and would fill it in with a rough spiral. It doesn't have to be too neat as the stitches get flattened down quite quickly. I found curved needles easier. If you aren't familiar with chain stitch - or a bit rusty as I was - practice a bit on some cloth first! As to colour and thickness of the thread..I would just search online for 'pointe shoe darning thread' and you will find the right stuff. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletbean Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 (edited) 42 minutes ago, DancingShoes said: She doesn't happen to be at NBS does she? My dd has been asked to show the 1st years how to darn!! 🤣🤣 Oh bless them. My Dd has just graduated NBS. Always having darned her shoes she was obviously at a slight advantage. The task whilst appearing overwhelming was actually quite therapeutic. 😄 What she did find over time. Rather than darn the whole area she found better stability to just darn around the edges double or treble to create a ‘frame’. (Blanket stitch technique but in line like a running stitch) We used just regular ballet darning thread rather than a wool based thread, which is like button hole thread on strength but slightly thicker. Outlining the area with a pencil before she started. Occasionally she would then use a craft knife to remove the satin within the frame but not always. The darning lasted longer than the shoes. ‘straighttothepointe’ YouTube videos are excellent as the business owner is the Grishko approved fitter. Good Luck Edited October 8, 2021 by balletbean 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon2 Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 Some of the dance shops sell the appropriate crochet thread. She will also find a thimble or Hemline needle grappers useful. Always found curved needles easier. Sewing doesn’t need to be neat. For quickness when Dd was getting through lots of pointe shoes we used to do a blanket stitch on platform and a few random big cross stitch under toe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 Sillysally, I've just added a tag "darning" to your post. Click on it and it will bring up a couple of other, similarly tagged, threads which may also be of assistance. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balletbean Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 43 minutes ago, Jewel said: Sorry, my dd never darned hers. Can she use those stick on pads things instead? The stick on pads seem to be made of suede. Well the ones we could find I might be proved wrong. . Unfortunately the suede becomes shiny after wear and tear. The darning is obviously more time consuming however if like my daughter who just darned the edges she found increased stability as the ‘frame’ would ensure better positioning on the box. I must admit darning is a piece of art when completed and looks absolutely stunning ☺️ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 Before dd moved from Freeds to Gaynor Mindens, we used to cut the satin off the platform after sewing a blanket stitch around the edge, either in several strands of darning thread or wool if I’d run out of thread. Dd liked the definite “edge” around the platform for stability en pointe. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsellian Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 I do DDs with blanket stitch rows back and forth as per this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRF3Fjb8Edc (There are 2 further videos in the series, I would presume they'll autoplay after it nowadays). I find you can get away with doing it with a straight needle this way, but a curved one is easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumofballetmaddaughter Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 I spent many hours darning pointe shoes and found a curved needle was much easier to use than a straight one. I used pale pink darning thread and did chain stitch starting at the outside of the platform working in a spiral to the centre. I'd recommend using a thimble too. We tried the suede tips on various brands of shoes but found them to be a bit of a faff to get right and not be a hazard. Daughter also wore Gaynor Minden's which gave my fingers a rest but she went back to Bloch and continued to use them throughout her performing career and still does now as a teacher. I don't think she darned many pairs, if any. She just cuts the satin off the platform. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlexyNexy Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 My DD never darned the whole shoe, just the edge. She went around twice and used curved needle. She found the suede patches slippery once they got used few times. Let her practice the stitch she wants to use on a piece of fabric first. X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StillSewingShoes Posted October 8, 2021 Share Posted October 8, 2021 (edited) For my daughter, we darn around the outside of the box and use an old ribbon from a prior shoe (yay for reusing something!). I use the needle and thread from the "Bunheads Pointe Shoe Stitch Kit" and it works great. It's still a pain and my least favorite thing to do, however. Here's the video that the dance shop in San Francisco gave me to follow that shows how to use the ribbon and again, we darn all the way around the block, not just the front: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo4Za5o-6fI&feature=youtu.be Edited October 8, 2021 by BalletMomUS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixiewoo Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 (edited) I use a curved needle and pointe shoe thread with a thimble on my thumb to push needle through. (Can't be doing with blood on the shoes!) I use a chain stitch around the edge and then spiral in it to the middle, and then chain stitch again from the sole up to the top. Any huge gaps I fill in with random stitches! It's not very neat! But does the job. DD does need to learn .... Edited October 9, 2021 by Pixiewoo Spelling! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sillysally Posted October 9, 2021 Author Share Posted October 9, 2021 On 08/10/2021 at 10:17, NeverTooOld said: This is how my teacher taught me to do mine. Some people just do around the ends but she prefers all over as shown (sorry about the grubbiness!). I used a chain stitch which was a bit tricky at first but I got used to it and there were some helpful videos on YouTube. I tried both needles and definitely a curved one is the way to go - the straight one was almost impossible to use. The stitching is so beautiful! And neat 🙂 I think blanket stitch is going to be her way forward, embroidery and sewing are not her strength (mine neither 🤣) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meetmeatthebarre Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 23 hours ago, FlexyNexy said: She found the suede patches slippery once they got used few times. Interesting. I've never darned my shoes but always thought that flattened stitching might be *more* slippery than suede (even after all the gunk sticks to it). Your description of going round the edges (I assume letting the satin wear away in the middle and expose the canvas?) makes sense! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlexyNexy Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 1 hour ago, Meetmeatthebarre said: Interesting. I've never darned my shoes but always thought that flattened stitching might be *more* slippery than suede (even after all the gunk sticks to it). Your description of going round the edges (I assume letting the satin wear away in the middle and expose the canvas?) makes sense! Yes, its only around the edges and she cuts the satin once it starts wearing away. The suede patches I mean the ones from Grishko that you glue yourself to the shoe. I would not recommend them as they got almost shiny on places where the shoe touches the floor when turning and slippery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meetmeatthebarre Posted October 9, 2021 Share Posted October 9, 2021 1 hour ago, FlexyNexy said: The suede patches I mean the ones from Grishko that you glue yourself to the shoe. I would not recommend them as they got almost shiny on places where the shoe touches the floor when turning and slippery. That's exactly the problem I'm having now! Never used to notice as I was burning through shoes, but the Dreampointes I have now have seen double the wear of the previous ones. I was pondering rosin or a suede brush. I'll just have to dig into the anatomy, as I think the DP might be plastic right underneath the satin of the platform, which I can imagine being even more slippery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJH Posted October 10, 2021 Share Posted October 10, 2021 suede tips are not 'fit and forget' this was something i was taught fairly early in my pointe journey by a teacher , little brass bristled suede brush and a pocket knife are valuable items for your ballet bag to deal with slippery / stickjy patches of pointe shoe soles and tips or to dig gunk out of darned bits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopelessMummy Posted October 10, 2021 Share Posted October 10, 2021 Silly question. Why does one need to darn their pointe shoes? I remember a girl at school used to spend every break and every lunch sewing her shoes but never understood why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewel Posted October 10, 2021 Share Posted October 10, 2021 I have no idea. My dd never darned hers. She said she preferred not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJH Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 9 hours ago, HopelessMummy said: Silly question. Why does one need to darn their pointe shoes? I remember a girl at school used to spend every break and every lunch sewing her shoes but never understood why. many people find that the satin of the toe box is far too slipery to feel secure on , there's three schools of thought Darning - which can also modify the platform properties to a degree - wider , adjust for being slightly off angle cut the sat off the platform suede tips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeverTooOld Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 On 09/10/2021 at 14:10, sillysally said: The stitching is so beautiful! And neat 🙂 I think blanket stitch is going to be her way forward, embroidery and sewing are not her strength (mine neither 🤣) Thank you, that's really kind I've just replaced my shoes so have a new pair to do now and my daughter has just had new shoes too so that will keep me busy for a while! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted October 11, 2021 Share Posted October 11, 2021 On 10/10/2021 at 13:10, NJH said: suede tips are not 'fit and forget' this was something i was taught fairly early in my pointe journey by a teacher , little brass bristled suede brush and a pocket knife are valuable items for your ballet bag to deal with slippery / stickjy patches of pointe shoe soles and tips or to dig gunk out of darned bits I was about to say the same thing. My DD always used suede tips and would brush them with a wire brush after every wear. That stopped them becoming slippery and she'd generally worn the shoes out before the patches were beyond revival. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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