Paper & Pointe

_{Editor’s note: this is revised from a 2020 blog post.}

Back in 2020, my teacher (shoutout to Dmitri) approved me for my first pair of pointe shoes. I went to the Ballett-Shop to get professionally fitted, and went home with a pair of Gaynor Mindens. Before anyone rehashes the tired “cheater shoe” debate I’ll just say GMs had the only boxes that didn’t tear up my feet, I have no regrets, the end.

The first thing I did was sew on ribbons and elastics. The second thing was immediately lose the elastic drawstring inside the casing. In a truly gratuitous display of stupidity, I pulled the entire drawstring out in a panic (do not do this). The shoe was no longer safe to wear. And I had pointe class the next day. I refused to accept defeat, and you don’t have to either. Here’s what to do if you find yourself in the same situation.

1. Don’t panic.
2. Gather your tools:
   
   • Small sewing needle
   • Seam ripper (or small, sharp scissors)
   • Matching thread
   • Scissors
   • Thimble (optional, but GM satin is known for being concrete reinforced)
     
3. Take that sewing needle and thread it with a very long piece of thread, about 3x the length of the entire casing. I pulled the two ends of the thread together and knotted it to secure it on the needle.
4. Insert the needle, eye first (because it is smooth and will not snag), into wherever you want to start the process. I suggest the slit where the drawstring normally comes out.
   
5. This is the hard part. Wriggle, not too hard, through the casing, to steadily and gently push the needle down the casing. As the needle moves, it will pull the attached string along. Alternatively, you can use your seam ripper to open up the casing every few inches to make it easier, just bear in mind you will have to sew shut any place that you open up.
6. If you still have one end of the drawstring inside: probe along the casing to find the end of the drawstring. Use the seam ripper to cut open the seam at this location. Don’t open it more than 2 cm/1 inch, because you’ll just have to sew it shut again. Gently pull out one end of the drawstring, exposing an inch or so. Once you have threaded the casing to meet the drawstring, draw your threaded needle out of the casing and literally skewer the elastic 1-2 cm securely.
7. If the entire drawstring is out: you will need to thread the casing all the way around the shoe. I know. The needle might break, especially when you go around the vamp. Mine did. No big, just open up the seam, remove the broken piece, and keep going. Once you have made it around the world shoe, take your needle out, grab your elastic, and literally skewer one end of the elastic securely.
   
8. This is a great time to knot the other end of the elastic that you didn’t skewer, so that it stays outside of the casing. You don’t want to do this all over again.
9. Now gently tug on your needle, which will tug on the thread, which will tug the elastic through the casing. Take it slow. You do not want to break the thread and have to start over. It’s still 100x faster than the needle wriggle.
10. When you finish, knot the two ends of the drawstring together so that this never happens again! Adjust the tightness if you need to, of course.
11. Strike a pose and congratulate yourself!