Please note that these are 'fully functioning' pointe shoes. I have taken care in designing and creating them to assure that they will withstand the rigors of dancing (test results forthcoming) and not interfere with a dancer's 'technique' in any way at all.
By this I mean that no decorative details come in contact with the dancer's foot, the drawstring is fully-functioning and dye-transfer is not an issue. Note that the inner 'tie-dye' effect was achieved by delicately dabbing some dilute dye here and there in an effort to 'compensate for' some of the 'blue bleed-through' caused by the initial dye process.
Here are the general instructions if you'd like to replicate this 'look' for yourselves.
1) First you must prepare the shoes for dyeing-(see my other article "BARB'S DYE PROCESS FOR POINTES (BLACK) & ALL SATIN SHOES--Easy Do-It-Yourself Instructions")
LINK: http://dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com/2012/03/barbs-dye-process-for-pointes-black-all.html
2) Mix the following to achieve the desired green color. Be sure to 'test' your colors--wet and dry--on paper towels and on scraps of pink or European pink ('peachy pink') satin to get a true read of your colors. Note that these dyes always dry a LIGHTER color than when they are wet.
The formula used includes Esquire Brand Shoe Dye in 'Skipper Blue' and 'Metallic Gold' along with Simply Spray Soft Fabric Paint in 'Brite Yellow' (below)
Simply Spray LINK: http://www.simplyspray.com/buy.html
Start with the Esquire Metallic Gold, spray in some Simply Spray Brite Yellow and add a little Esquire 'Skipper Blue' to adjust to the proper green. Add a little water to 'thin', but do not use a very watery mixture, since you do not want to saturate the pointe shoe. When your test samples dry to the desired color, apply a thin coat of dye to completely and evenly cover each shoe, and let dry for about an hour. Then apply a second coat and allow to dry for at least one day before applying decorations.
3) After the shoes are dry, dye the ribbons, one at a time, one side at a time. Start at the attachment end and 'pull the dye along the ribbon' using the foam brush in the palm of your hand..finishing out to the end. Be careful with doing this to not let the wet ribbons brush against the finished shoes. Also, be sure to lay the wet ribbons on plastic, for the paper towels will only 'wick dye' out of the ribbons. And as the ribbons dry, some excess dye is bound to 'pool' on the plastic, so let be sure to blot this up periodically until it is no longer necessary, as the ribbons dry. Better yet, if it is possible, 'hang' the pointe shoes up in some manner so that the ribbons can hang freely to air dry. (Again watch for spills and drips, though.)
4) Use white 'sticky glue' (I used Aleene's Original Tacky Glue-All Purpose-available at Michaels Crafts stores and elsewhere) to neatly apply ribbons and decorations as desired. Be sure not to place or paste anything on the bottom sole of the pointe shoe, as it will interfere with the dancer's ability to 'feel' the floor. Note in the second photo from the top that the ribbon is snipped and neatly glued down near the edge of the leather outersole. I don't know how well this will 'hold-up' to the punishment of a full performance, but experience tells me that, in general, 'cloth-to-cloth' adhesion using this sticky glue is generally very tenacious...Almost impossible to 'undo', in fact, so it should be fine during vigorous use!
5) Some dye 'bleed-through' will be inevitable with all dyeing methods. You can choose to ignore it or do some 'minor embellishing' as I did with the 'tie-dye motif' in order to make your pointe shoe project more pleasing to the eye.
6) You can dye the drawstrings after the shoes, themselves, are dry. Pull the strings out a bit, dye them and let them dry. Or, you can do as a I did- just tuck them in without dyeing them and don't worry about them, for they should not show anyway.
7) Invariably, satin pointe shoes will 'SHRINK' a bit after dyeing. The less-'watery' the dye you use, the less the shrinkage. However, you must take this into consideration whether you are dyeing shoes for yourself or for your dancer.
That's for these beautiful shoes. Your decorating options are limitless, as you can see!
So 'go for it'! If you feel more comfortable 'asking for some advice in advance'--before you dye your pointes--just click on 'comments' below, ask your question(s) and I will answer.
You can also email me directly at: BarbaraKSexton@aol.com and I will answer you as best I can.
May your lives and your dancing be blessed!
Love,
Rev. Barb
Reverend Barbara Sexton
"The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"
www.DearOnesHealingMinistry.blogspot.com
