I stayed up WAY past my bedtime last night (2 a.m.) determined to get these shoes of Ten Ping mastered. Ten Ping is the sweet little 8″ Asian Cutie from Ruby Red Galleria. Her foot is less than an inch long and her shoes are the tiniest little things to work on. To say they are quite tedious is an understatement! I have drafted so many patterns and probably made about 25-30 shoes, and about half of them have ended up in the trash, so pathetic, there was nothing to do with them but trash them.
But last night, I sort of had this epiphany and it worked… They still need a little tweaking, but I’m very close. I need to make them a little narrower to fit Ten Ping’s foot better, but I’m on the right track. It has been a LONG road and you can’t believe the scraps that have ended up in my floor and ultimately in the trash can!
Here is how I started out…
I wanted to really try and figure out how to make a pair of little Mary Jane shoes if I could…and came up with these from a printed felt.
Then I progressed to this…
I added some black beads for the side clasp and added a sweet little bow on the top of the shoe.
These are the ones I came up with for her red plaid dress….
…and this is my latest pair for her. Somehow as I look at them in my pictures, they seemed cuter at 2:00 yesterday morning… I must have been hallucinating. I still have work to do…
There is NOBODY as ready for me to figure out these shoes as TEN PING… She’s tired of trying shoes on…
You’ve come a long way, Baby!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, NO ONE can say that you aren’t persistant, and I mean that in a good way. WOW! The trim around the bottoms helps neaten up the shoe immensely. I sincerely hope that these shoes get easier for you, you deserve it! Way to go, Jeanne!!!
HI Cindy,
Well, maybe it’s a little bit of stubbornness too! I don’t like for something to get the best of me. As I looked at the shoes today, I see things I want to change, but I can see I’m on the right track…
Thanks so much,
Jeanne
Jeanne, I like the braid ( ?) around the bottom to cover the raw edges and the seam. Do you know that the shoes for the Heartstring dolls fit Ten Ping? Sooooo, much easier. I do well making sandals but I’m not going to tangle with Mary Janes. lol
HI Jevne,
Yes, the braid around the bottom really helps a lot! I do like that part!
Let me tell you, I was about ready to give up but not now… I am ready to see if I can get these to look better than they do now.
I think your sandals always look nice! You do them very well.
Blessings, Jeanne
I think you’ve got it! Love the clean finish on the shoe edge. Good job!
Hi Joy,
Thanks for the compliments on the shoes… I think I’m getting there, but still have a ways to go. I’m not giving up when I’m this close now, though.
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
The braid finish looks great. Elastic can be used too.
HI Jan,
Thanks for the vote of confidence… I know elastic can be used but I didn’t have any black, so I decided to try the trim I had and I did like it. I’ll get them yet!!!
Blessings, Jeanne
I agree that the new finish looks great. Also to consider — her feet are so tiny that a shoe that enlarges them is a good thing. Remember Samantha’s original shoes? They made her feet look stubby. Larger shoes made the overall proportions look better.
I have no doubt that you are coming up with something better still, if such a thing is possible. I love the photos — especially the one with Ten-Ping in her underclothes with her hand on her stomach, looking upset for you, and the one with all the shoes around her feet.
You have so much feeling for the dolls — have you read any of Rumor Godden’s books about dolls?
HI Marilyn,
Well, I’d like to agree with you, but I think Ten Ping’s shoes need to be a little bit smaller. Her feet are super tiny but when I saw the pictures on my post last night, the first thing I thought of was they looked like “clodhopper” shoes. My sister is visiting and we have laughed about them all day, trying to figure out what kind of shoes to call them. I will get them made a little narrower and a bit different with the strap around her ankle… maybe just more across her foot.
I haven’t read any book by Rumor Godden’s books…that I know of… I might have to check them out…
Thank you Marilyn,
You were way too kind on your compliments of my doll shoes.
Blessings, Jeanne