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Help, DD has got her first pair of Pointe Shoes and although the lady in the shop explained I should darn the tops in a blanket or daisy stitch, I'm really not sure about how to do it. Can't find a website image that helps either. Got to do it by tomorrow evening.

Hi Livy
You'll need to get some pink embroidiary thread in a similar pink to the shoes and the idea is to sew over the top of the shoes so that they last longer. It won't really matter if they are not darned straight away but the sooner they are darned the better as the shoes are only one layer of satin thick. I don't suppose it really matters what stitch you use either, blanket stitch is common as it is quick and easy. (couldn't begin to describe how to do it though!). Your dd could always wear a pair of socks over them until you get round to darning.

I always used to do a chain stitch starting in the middle and working out in a spiral, then blanket stitch on the part underneath, if that makes sense. used to take AGES I'm afraid. There are frequent debates on another forum about how best to do it - see the latest here http://www.ballet.co.uk/dcforum/training/2955.html

Good Luck, and hope your dd enjoys her first pointe work.

Always use the stick on suede toe caps meself - no pain at all! Just take em to the local cobblers & he sticks em on for me! Does the same job - 2 dds & about 5 pairs of pointe shoes later.....no probs.

DD has always used the suede toe caps too - much easier than darning and she has never had problems with them! You just need some superglue!

The best advice I can give you is to let your daughter learn how to darn the shoes herself! My dd went en pointe at 11 and I have not darned a single pair! She finds it very therapeutic and it is a good life - skill! However, I know that very soon she will probably stop darning as she gets through too many shoes and will simply cut the satin off the platform. THe shoe is definitely more than one layer of satin thick and cutting it off doesn't really shorten the life of the shoe. The main reason for darning is to make the shoes more grippy!

I do not recommend the stick on patches as they look pretty ugly and are prone to coming unstuck which can be dangerous!

funnygirl wrote:I do not recommend the stick on patches as they look pretty ugly and are prone to coming unstuck which can be dangerous!

That's why I take em to the local cobblers! Superglue doesn't work so well - they have the "proper" stuff for sticking shoes... Don't think they look ugly either (sorry!) - isn't that why they were invented? (IMHO of course.....!) Darning's pretty old-fashioned I think? Anyway - whatever floats yer boat as they say....

DD has never had a problem with the suede toe caps coming off either ... horses for courses I suppose

Hi
Another option is to buy Gaynor Mindens. Theyre expensive but dont require any darning or stick on pads...very, very smart to look at. I'm told most professional use them nowadays. The downside is you have to look around a bit for stockists....