It’s true…I’ve made tiny little shoes and gotten them perfected pretty well… I first started out with shoes for 10″ Ten Ping…
(If you click on any picture it will enlarge.)
Fairly nice, huh? I think so… but it wasn’t that way at the beginning… Here are a few shots of my very first tries…
Pretty pitiful, aren’t they?
So when tiny little Navi (6 1/2″) came along, I was determined to make her some shoes too… and I guess all that practice on Ten Ping helped, because I made her first pair and they actually fit and looked pretty decent!
So I made a second pair…
Getting easier to figure it all out…
So when it came time to make a pair of shoes for Noel, who is a 10″ Boneka doll, I thought it would be a piece of cake… Well, it wasn’t! Not in the least! Here are some pictures of my attempts… I didn’t get hers right on the first try…
There are little slivers of felt and paper and sticky back felt and Ultrasuede all over the floor and in the trash can and on my sewing cabinet… it’s everywhere!
I traced around Noel’s foot like I usually do and this is what happened…
Pretty plain and ugly, I might add…
The problem was the Ultrasuede I was using for these shoes was too stiff… There are 2 different grades of Ultrasuede, one is very soft and easy to fold over the toe edge and the other is about 2x as thick and much harder to get it glued down. So I tried cutting some little slits in the Ultrasuede around the edges to fold under… but it wouldn’t stick, so I tried sewing it a bit…
I didn’t like them at all so I started over with a new tracing of Noel’s foot… a bit bigger this time… and I decided to use some wool felt this time….maybe it would work…
Well, they were pretty cute… and I did the best I’ve ever done on the soles of these shoes…
Trouble was… they swallowed Noel’s feet… I mean we’re talking clodhoppers!!!
I tried picking her up in them and they just fell off…
So what did I do? I grabbed 10″ Patsy Tonner to see if they would work for her…
AND THEY DID!!!
They are cut just a bit short in the heel area, but they stay on very well… so I guess Patsy has a head start on a new Fall outfit…
So that left Noel with no shoes and she didn’t want to show you what was made for her today, but she said she could show you the back of her hair… it looks lovely now…
Sorry, but you’ll have to come back on Monday to see “Changes for Noel!”
My hubby and I were putting some trim around 6 windows in a shop for a friend on Friday. We got almost half of it done today and are going back on Saturday morning to see if we can get it finished up. She doesn’t know why, but the trim was never finished on the windows in the shop… so who you gonna call.. “Chip and Joanna!” :o)
Have a wonderful weekend!
Blessings, Jeann
Loved seeing your “shoe adventures”, Jeanne! So, the shoes (which really did turn out pretty cute–love the edgine around them!) didn’t fit Noel but did fit Patsy! Well, you lose one, you win one! Next try for Noel should work just fine.
BTW, I’m pretty sure that the Leeann shoes (leeann.ca) will work for those Boneka dolls; I have yet to try them on my Nyla, but they Look pretty good. Will see how that works tomorrow. Even so, I do like the idea of making some of the doll shoes, as you can get a better match for color, as well as adding whatever trim you should wish.
Noel’s blond wig looks really lovely now! That was a good idea you had!
Oh, the trim on those windows is really turning out nicely!! Your friend is lucky to have friends like you!
What a frustrating day with those shoes, Jeanne! But you DID turn it around and made lemonade out of lemons! I too, love the lace trim on them, and for sure, they are one of a kind! So now you have a start for another outfit! Pretty good!
I love Noel’s hair now, that’s exactly what I was hoping for! Can’t wait to see how everything comes together with her outfit!
Wow, that window trim turned out just fantastic! I can’t imagine any other couple who could have done better, and I do mean that! Chip and Joanna don’t have anything on the two of you!
Ahhh, cooler weather has arrived! Time to start thinking of pumpkin patch pictures, and ot too far down the road, Halloween! This is my favorite time of the year!
Wow! It’s still early and already I can get to the blog and read it. That’s a nice change.
The shoes are wonderful for Patsy. They are especially nice shoes as well, and I don’t think Patsy has had a dress for a while, so why shouldn’t she be next? And you have a running start on her outfit and an idea about the color. What could be better?
Noel’s hair looks lovely from the back. If it had been a disaster from the front, you would have shown us the front, so I’m guessing it’s pretty satisfactory.
And then — the windows. They certainly look nice and finish the look of the room. What a great finish to the week you are having. Really, what a great week — two outfits sold, hair and shoe problems solved, the window trim selected and installed. Put something nice in the slow cooker and have a lovely weekend.
In addition to everything you have done, there’s news on the AG front with possible information about the AG GOTY, links on AGPT and AGDollhouse.
Very pretty shoes! It was interesting to see your different attempts. I need to try shoes. I frequently can’t find what I want or when I do, they are roo expensive.
Noel’s hair looks lovely. I love curls.
The new window trim looks lovely. It truly gives the windows a finished look.
Enjoying autumnal weather today. Hope you have a good day!
Take care —
Loved seeing the shoe progression. How you were able to make those sweet ones for little Twinkle Navi, I have no idea. So tiny. I have a bevy of dollies laid out here, all shoe less. Such a variety of foot sizes. From the large A Girl for All Time, Maru and Friends, Little Darling, Ann Estelle/Patsy, Natterer Minouche, Meadow Dumplings, and finally Meadow Twinkles. And after looking over my shoulder and seeing the adorable shoes for Patsy, they are all clamoring, “We need shoes!” What’s to do?
Please tell Noel her hair never looked lovelier.
Great seeing the pics of downtown Carbondale? So kind of you and George to finish the trim which looks wonderful. What will your friend be selling in the store? Curious.
Have a great weekend.
Lol! You and George are the Chip and Joanna of IL:)
The framing looks very professional!
Good going on the footwear. Shoes are NOT easy to make. I read that the Ruby Red Yu Ping shoes fit Twinkles perfectly. They make such adorable styles.
Well I have a ton of shoe patterns for just about every doll I have, but I’ve been a reluctant cobbler. After reading your blog today, I think I’ll donate my shoe patterns to some worthy cause. I have watched videos of Cinnamon at Pixie Faire on shoe making and she makes it look so easy. I have all the supplies I need to get started on all kinds of shoes but haven’t really been adventurous enough to try it. After reading the blog today, I know why I’ve been holding back. It’s called fear of failure. I’m still going to give it a go, but if I fail, oh well, there’s always Deb’s Adorables or JuJu’s Dolly Mall when my dolly people’s feet need to be shod.
I was wondering, do you sleep? It seems you get so much done in a twenty-four hour day that you must not sleep. I figure I could get a lot more done if I didn’t have to carve out hours for sleep. I’m retired, it’s just my husband and myself these days, and I still have trouble spending enough time in my sewing room to actually put a dent in my planned projects. You do that and more.
Noel’s hair is absolutely lovely.
Dear Jeanne, I love Noel’s, uh, back (smile). The wig turned out nicely from the, uh, back.
The shoes are adorable. You are indeed a cobbler.
I love your reference to Chip and Johanna. So does this mean that you are going to name doll number 63, Crew (chuckle)? That’s the name of their new baby.
I can’t wait to see what you come up with next so I guess I will, uh, check back.