celb Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I am unable to sew on ribbons to my perfectionist DD's satisfaction !.Whenever she comes down to flat from pointe the ribbons gape slightly at the front no matter how tight she ties the ribbons.I have tried sewing the ribbon at an angle forward from the crease in the folded over heel and have also tried straight up. Any suggestions.The ribbon I am using is thicker than the usual ribbon but my DD says the same happened with the finer EYB ribbon.Is it the ribbon , is it her feet ( she has high arched hypermobile small feet) , should I move the ribbon further forward? further back? .I did suggest to DD that she might like to sew them on herself - but then her eyes filled with tears .Any suggestions gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurora Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Try sewing them just at a very slight angle and not too far back. Also if you try the ribbon with the elastic section in (elastosorb??) she'll be able to tie them a bit tighter and then the elastic should pull it back in when she comes down (in theory....I think!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjuli_Bai Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Ribbons are not decorative - they are there to help the shoe stay on as well as help the shoe fit correctly to the foot and therefore support it. So, those are the important factors. You might ask the teacher where to place the ribbons. If you sew them on to suit how they "look" as opposed to how well they work - you might be sacrificing one for the other. Not being able to see her feet - I can't give you a definitive answer. However, the teacher certainly can. The ribbons, shoe and foot must be seen as one unit - a working unit. So, go for how it works rather than how it looks. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I would definitely ask the teacher. I thought I had sewed dd's first pointe ribbons correctly but the teacher showed me exactly how and where to sew them. Second go was better but still needed slight adjustment! Now she's on her fifth pair the only comment I got was "very impressive sewing!" so I think I've finally cracked it! :-)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celb Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 Will try to ask DDs teacher - she is about to go to a new school tho and I won't get to speak to the pointe teacher-will ask her old teacher.This is her 8th pair -thought I might have cracked it by now. I understand function is more important - in the past I have sewn them quite deeply into the shoe to help keep her heel from slipping due to her high arch -( the heels never have slipped -she was just worried that they might) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjuli_Bai Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Will try to ask DDs teacher - she is about to go to a new school tho and I won't get to speak to the pointe teacher-will ask her old teacher.This is her 8th pair -thought I might have cracked it by now. I understand function is more important - in the past I have sewn them quite deeply into the shoe to help keep her heel from slipping due to her high arch -( the heels never have slipped -she was just worried that they might) There is a solution if the heels were to slip...or just to give her more confidence that they won't. You can take a small piece of elastic and make a loop of it - sew one end of the loop on one side of the heel seam and the other end to the other side of the heel seam. Then when she puts on the ribbons they go through the loop as the ribbon comes behind the heel. Some dancers sew that loop of elastic to the outside of the shoe - but i always sewed mine on the inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celb Posted April 13, 2012 Author Share Posted April 13, 2012 Thanks for that Anjuli - I have followed this advice from you before and no longer sew the ribbons so deep - instead attach elastic loop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moneypenny Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 My dd has always been very particular about how her pointe shoe ribbons are sewn on ... my poor needlework skills and clumsy fingers would never have done, so much to my delight she taught herself how to do them and thankfully I've never had to grapple with a pair or put up with subsequent complaints about them not being right! Result! Therefore, I'm afraid I can't offer any useful or meaningful advice on this one, but boy am I glad I don't have to do them! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildflowers Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 My DD got her first pair of pointe shoes yesterday but luckily has her older DD on hand, she has lovingly sewed the ribbons on for her and now is about to darn them! I wouldn't know where to start....I have a fear of pointe shoes, they are a great unknown to me, as for 'breaking them in' - surely a pointe shoe must be the only item you ever buy from new and then immediately break?? On the last forum, someone did post a link to an article all about pointe shoes, wish I'd printed it off now! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spooky Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 I am unable to sew on ribbons to my perfectionist DD's satisfaction ! I have nothing to do with my dds shoes these days but well remember unpicking ribbons several times because they were not to her satisfaction. Eventually I started giving her a couple of pins and got her to play around with position/angle pin them where she wanted and then i sewed them on (once only if she wanted them moved again it was down to her to do them - funnily enough they were always ok). I also remember her grade 1 exam (over 10 years ago now) - I think i must have re-tied her ribbons about 5 or 6 times and still they 'weren't right'. At this point I told the teacher I was going for a walk and would be most grateful if she would tie dds shoes. Tried not to be the one to take her to any exams after that! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celb Posted April 14, 2012 Author Share Posted April 14, 2012 you definitely have made me feel better spooky-it's not just me -thanks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porthesia Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 (edited) I have struggled for years sewing ribbons on dd's shoes and when we changed to Grischko shoes I was pointed in the direction of this video. I now get the ribbons done first time and never have to re-do them. . It looks awkward but does work. I also use on demi-pointe shoes as well. Hope this helps. Hope it's ok to appear like this - not sure if I've done this correctly. Administrators please let me know if I've done this wrong. Edited April 25, 2012 by porthesia 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjuli_Bai Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 That looks very interesting - the only caveat is if the ribbon needs to be placed either more to the front or back to accommodate a particular foot. . Another way I've seen - as an emergency measure when you don't happen to have a needle and thread handy .... A slit is made beneath the casing (which encloses the pull strings) where the ribbon would normally be sewn on. The uncut ribbon is threaded through the slit - either across the top of the foot or beneath it (into the shoe) and then threaded through a similar slit on the other side - and then up around the ankle the normal way. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 I've seen that video before, and it's a good one. I do draw the lines n that way, but of course can't sew the ribbon like that in one piece as dd uses Bloch Elastorib which is already cut into four pieces. I do still draw the lines, then pin or (tack with a couple of stitches) the ribbons where I think they need to be, get dd to try the shoes on and tie the ribbons, and THEN sew them properly. Nothing worse than doing all the sewing only to find that they're wrong! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emsloves2dance Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 That looks very interesting - the only caveat is if the ribbon needs to be placed either more to the front or back to accommodate a particular foot. . Another way I've seen - as an emergency measure when you don't happen to have a needle and thread handy .... A slit is made beneath the casing (which encloses the pull strings) where the ribbon would normally be sewn on. The uncut ribbon is threaded through the slit - either across the top of the foot or beneath it (into the shoe) and then threaded through a similar slit on the other side - and then up around the ankle the normal way. I like the sound of that way.....i can never get my DD's ribbons correct might try that next time and then sew them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porthesia Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 (edited) I can't copy the quote from Anjuli about the ribbon needing to be further forward or back to accommodate a particular foot (I tried but it went wrong hence the editing ). I had exactly same the same concerns, but I am particulary lucky in that this method seems to suit my dd's feet perfectly. For once something has gone right for me! Edited April 25, 2012 by porthesia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celb Posted April 25, 2012 Author Share Posted April 25, 2012 Thought I had got it right on the fourth attempt having moved further forward and changed angle -local teacher was happy but pointe teacher at school not happy too far forward and still very slightly gapey on flat so DD is going to have to do them herself - when she comes home might try the elastorib which was recommended by our Boston Ballet friend who looked at them but I didn't have any at the time ,if they are still not right -have also sent her the flimsier ribbon which I think might be more forgiving.Thanks for all the advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sassy girl Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 I also pin before I sew & get DD to try them on! Saves a lot of wasted time! Am still trying to convince her to do them herself! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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