Stitching the Vamp
I
believe this method is used by many professionals. Generally,
this is done when the shoes are just slightly loose or to help
prevent flexible feet from popping out (or knuckling over). This
method helps improve the feel of your shoe being a part of your
foot. I also recommend this
to people without conditions above as well.
Recommended for:
* The width of the shoes is just slightly too wide. (There
is a limit to how much adjustment you can achieve with this method.
If the shoe is not a close fit to begin with, do not try this
or any other method.)
*The shoe is not too loose, but you want the fit to be a little
more snug and secure.
* To prevent flexible arches from popping out or knuckling
over.
* To help prevent hallux valgus.
*One toe is notably longer than the rest. (Your foot will
be more evenly supported and it will ease the weight bearing
on the long toe.)
How to:
Use thread (such as embroidery threads) and stitch up the
opening of the shoe at the vamp. I always make sure to pierce
the needle through from above and stitch along in a figure 8.
This prevents the threads from bunching up in a ring. But there
is no set way of doing this. (The photo is a close up of the
shoe opening.)
Wetting With Water Mothod
This is a method where we wet the box area of the shoe with
water and make it shrink as it dries to achieve a better fit.
By wetting the box area of the shoe, the fabric shrinks and makes
the shoe narrower overall. You can reduce the width of the shoe
by approximately 1 number or letter.
How to:
1. If you need to lower your crown, do what you need to do
(stepping on it, etc.) to achieve it before you proceed to wet
your shoe.
2. To prevent the platform of the shoe from getting wet, stuff
newspaper or other material to protect it. (Once wet, platforms
can change size in terms of length and width.)
3. With a spray bottle, spray a fine mist of water to wet
the box area from outside and from inside.
4. To make the shoe conform to your foot shape, wear the shoe
and dry it a little with a hair dryer.
5. When it is half way dry, take the shoe off from your foot
and let it air dry the rest of the way.
* This method sometimes creates watermarks on the satin of
your shoes, depending on the brands. Also, it sometimes dull
the sheen of the satin. Take care not to over wet the shoe and
over shrink it. The degree of shrinkage also varies depending
on brands. Take your time and proceed with caution. Wet and shrink
gradually by repeating the process as necessary. Satin material
usually hardens after wetting and drying, so you may want to
soften the fabric by massaging with your fingers. This method
works with not only new shoes but old shoes that have been worn,
but once you have varnished your shoes, there can be no shrinkage.
Recommended for:
* Dancers with narrow feet who have a hard time finding shoes
that fit well. (It is possible to reduce the width of the shoe
from D to C, or C to B and so on. However, reducing the width
by two letters such as from D to B, cannot be done. When the
shoes are simply too loose, this or no other method will work.
There is a limit to how much adjustment can be made.)
* When you mistakenly ordered the wrong width of shoes .
* When the shoes don't quite conform to your foot shape.