The ballet pump, or ballerina shoe, is the perfect construction to make when learning how to make shoes from home! A versatile and beginner-friendly style, it's also a classic design that transverses all seasons and trumps all shoe trends. 👠
To help you get started, we've made a totally FREE downloadable ballet pump pattern in sizes EU 35 - 44 (that's UK 2 - 11) because we believe that this shoe the best place to start your shoemaking journey. Once you've nailed this style, you'll know all the basics of home shoemaking and will be set to create more challenging styles and shoes of your own design. ;)
In an effort to make shoemaking a more accessible craft, we've made this downloadable shoe pattern completely FREE, and have included a step-by-step closing sequence to help you along the shoemaking and sewing process.
The free PDF shoe pattern is available for instant download and prints on sheets of A4 or Letter size paper. All you have to do is print at 100%, cut out the patterns, and tape together any that have been broken up to fit on an A4 page.
What you'll need:
- Upper and lining materials of your choice.
- Matching polyester thread.
- Scissors
- Water-based glue and a safety beveler, which you can find in our Beginners Shoemaking Tool Kit.
Step by Step process:
- Trace and cut out the linings and uppers in your chosen material using the same pattern. *Remember to flip the pattern pieces to get left and right feet.*
- Stitch together all back seams and side seams, 5mm in from the edge. Open the seams with a little glue and skive away excess bulk.
- Glue and fold over the 5mm allowance on the toplines of your uppers.
- Match together the uppers with the linings and stitch together at the topline. *The 5mm trimming allowance on your linings will sit 5mm above the topline of your uppers.*
- Trim off the front half of the trimming allowance, leaving some at the back to help with the lasting process.
You're now ready to last your uppers! 🎉
Looking for a little inspo? Check out some of the beautiful ballet pumps some of our students made during our shoemaking course...
If you make a pair of ballet pumps of your own, we'd love to see! Send us your pics via Instagram: @icanmake_shoes . I can't wait to see the amazing shoes you make! 💖
learn shoemaking for yourself
