The Sewing Place

Darning These Beauties!

Lolli

Darning These Beauties!
« on: March 21, 2018, 23:40:14 PM »
I wanted to share what literally took me every evening last week to complete. It takes so long to darn them, sew elastics and ribbon on, then calamine them to finish them off. They'll look battered before long!


wrenkins

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2018, 07:14:05 AM »
Soooooooooo pretty!  :loveit:  <3
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Iminei

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2018, 11:12:47 AM »
Jeez Louise .... do lil girls still go to ballet lessons ??
That is, of course, assuming that you haven't just done all that for the hell of it ...

Shes that advanced as well ... to dance en pointe?
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Lolli

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2018, 13:51:57 PM »
Yeh she's 15 now, been doing ballet since she was 5, dancing en pointe for the last 2 years. This is the 3rd pair I've done since she started en pointe and I can tell you it kills your fingers! I chop the fingers off rubber gloves to help grip the darning needle lol.

They look beautiful now but it won't be long before they're battered and smelly

LeilaMay

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2018, 19:12:26 PM »
That's how I learned to sew - my mother wouldn't have dreamed of doing my shoes, so I did them myself. I still have the last pair I wore, and memories of the the Porselli's shop in London - think the wand shop from Harry Potter, except each brown slim box had a pair of pointe shoes in!

Long gone sadly

Iminei

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2018, 08:43:12 AM »

They still very much exist ... online

porsellis

and despite a very interesting 10 minutes goggling I cant find any archive images of the London shop, which is very sad



... but they have a street presence in West St, New York (I think)

The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Lolli

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2018, 17:59:55 PM »
I've ordered bits from Porselli online before now

LeilaMay

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2018, 06:58:59 AM »
Oh yes the brand still there, and a factory in Italy I think. But there used to be a tiny retail shop, where an elderly member of the family sold their ballet shoes. It was truly (for me at least) a magical trip, to go up to town on the train, and walk there, and be treated so kindly, and to try on different pairs until the got the 'right' ones.  :)

Iminei

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2018, 09:12:45 AM »
Any piccies LM, or you in full get up or the shop???

I did find the prices horrendously expensive but that is what you pay for craftsmanship ... and please dont get upset about that comment, this is a girl who rarely buys shoes (too small feet for normal retailers remember) from anywhere but TKMaxx or the charity.

I spent my 'going out years' tottering around in shoes that were always just a bit too big for me, as size 4 were the smallest size you could get in the '80's
« Last Edit: March 24, 2018, 09:16:15 AM by Iminei »
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Catllar

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #9 on: April 06, 2018, 22:11:04 PM »
Oh the darning! I had to do mine - my mum drew the line at that! My favourite brand was Bloch.
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

Lolli

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2018, 10:09:23 AM »
My DD has Bloch, they're the only ones that are right for her feet. She has short toes and so the shoes need to have a short vamp. She's had 3 pointe shoe fittings so far, tried on at least 8 different pairs each time, but has come away with the same pair at each fitting.

Ploshkin

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #11 on: April 14, 2018, 10:48:39 AM »
Ooh that takes me back to when I was about 14.  My younger twin sisters danced and my older sister and I got the job of darning the ballet shoes (and taking them to dancing lessons and sitting through interminable dancing shows)
Life's too short for ironing.

crooknees

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #12 on: April 16, 2018, 09:41:54 AM »
My DD2 teaches dance and has found that parents seem prepared to pay anything, to avoid sewing of any kind. Eventually she set a price list for sewing ribbons and elastic on to shoes, darning points, name tapes in leotards and skirts etc. Classes are held between 4.00 and 9.00pm twice a week and all day Saturday and DD has a queue of customers almost every time. Parents say they are too busy. DD shows the pupils how to sew their own, but most are discouraged by their Mum's who just want the job done with no hassle.

Lolli

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #13 on: April 21, 2018, 16:20:10 PM »
I wouldn't want anyone else doing them for me, I'm too OCD about it  0_0
Also, as much as it kills your fingers it's quite satisfying to see them looking beautiful when they're done.

crooknees

Re: Darning These Beauties!
« Reply #14 on: April 21, 2018, 17:58:04 PM »
I always thought of it as a labour of love. DD2 enjoys the darning, but grumbles about the rest. Which is why she no longer does it as a favour. Her time is as precious as everyone else.