Heather Maciak
ORIGINALS
Creating Patterns for Shoes to Fit Any Doll  
These instructions were originally featured on the NIADA website.  

Step 1- Make sure that the piece of foil is large enough to
go around the foot, covering the toes and the heel. If the
doll will be wearing a sock, you can create the pattern
with a sock on the doll’s foot.  Cut the foil with a curved
edge where it wraps across the top of the foot, so that you
get a smoother fit.  Now shape the foil firmly onto the
foot, smoothing and flattening the wrinkles as much as
possible. Press the foil together at the centre back of the
foot, so that the two sides meet at the heel (photo at right).
Step 2- With a permanent marking pen, draw the shape of the
shoe you wish to create, being careful not to get marker on the
doll’s foot.  First, draw along the bottom edge of the foot where
the upper of a shoe would meet the sole.  Continue up the centre
back of the foot, where the foil pieces are butted together- this is
where the seam will be.  Then draw along the top of the foot
where the line of the shoe would fall.  The photograph shows the
beginnings of a lace-up shoe.  The beauty of this method is that
you don’t have to be a pattern maker to create something
wonderful.  You simply have to picture where the shoe would be
on the foot, and draw it there (photo at left).

Step 3- Carefully remove the foil from the foot, flatten it out,
distorting it as little as possible, and cut it out with a pair of
scissors.  Now place it on a piece of paper and trace around it,
adding 1/8” around the bottom where the upper will be folded
over the cardboard sole, and at the heel where the seam will be.  
Fold the pattern in ½, hold it up to the light, and trim it so it is
symmetrical around the bottom edge (the bottom edge of the
upper is always symmetrical, with the sole being the determining
factor for whether the shoe is a left or a right shoe).  In the case of
the lace-up shoe, the pattern will also be symmetrical along the
top, but many shoes, such as shoes with a side strap, are not.  Now,
stand the doll’s foot on a piece of stiff card so you can trace
around it for the sole.  Set the foot aside and neaten the tracing,
adding a scant 1/16” around the edge and rounding the toe area so
it looks shoe-like.  A good way to adjust the pattern before making
it up in Ultrasuede or leather is to cut it out in paper towel, which
has some flexibility and will not tear easily.  Make a cardboard
copy of the sole pattern and try it on the doll’s foot with the paper
towel.  If you are making a lace-up shoe, don’t forget to make a
pattern for the tongue as well.  Study the fit and make any
necessary adjustments.  When you are pleased with it, go to step 4
and make it up in Ultrasuede or leather.  You will never know how
the pattern is really going to fit until you make an actual shoe.  The
photograph shows the stages of making a pattern (photo at right).
Step 4- Once you are happy with your patterns, trace them
onto cardboard or mylar, so they will be sturdier when you
use them.  Cut them out inside the tracing lines, so your new
patterns are the same size as the originals.  Number each
pattern with a ‘1’ on one side and a ‘2’ on the other- this will
remind you to always flip your patterns when you are tracing
them for a left and a right shoe.  Trace the pattern for the sole
onto cardboard or Mylar, and then make a second tracing of
the sole, trimming this one by 1/8” all the way around.  This
will give you the pattern for the spacer- a smaller piece of
cardboard that levels out the concave space on the sole,
which is created by the folded-over Ultrasuede or leather
upper.    

Step 5- Now you are ready to make your shoes.  Trace the pattern for the uppers with a fine marker
onto the back of a piece of Ultrasuede or leather, and cut just inside the tracing line.  Clip small
triangles out around the curves on the lower edge of the upper- this will allow you to ease the toe and
heel in, without bulk, as you glue them.  Trace the sole and spacer patterns onto the cardboard you
will use for the inner sole and the spacer- it should be about the same thickness as the Ultrasuede or
leather you are using for the shoes.  Using the same pattern as for the cardboard, trace the sole in
heavier leather than what you used for the upper.  If you would like to add a heel, especially for
larger dolls, draw a line across the sole pattern where the heel would be, and line it up along a straight
edge of the sole leather to trace the heel.  Cut out all sole and spacer pieces.  If you like, glue fabric
onto the cardboard sole and trim it flush with the edge of the cardboard, thereby lining the shoe to
match the costume.  Now, stitch or overlap and glue the seam allowance at the centre back of the
upper- it’s starting to take shape!  If you glue the seam, take a small stitch at the top to reinforce the
glue.  If you stitch it, open up and glue the seam flat.  Position the upper over the cardboard sole
(lining side up) and fold the 1/8” allowance over the cardboard, gluing it and easing it in around the
curves.  Glue the spacer in place, then glue the leather sole over the cardboard spacer, hiding the
overlapped upper.  Photograph #2 shows the cut out shoe pieces as well as a shoe with the upper
glued to the cardboard, with the spacer in place.  That’s it in a very small nutshell- I hope this will
give you a jumping-off point.  Don’t be afraid to try this- it’s easier than you think!  The last photo
shows the finished lace-up shoes, which were created for 7” Robin (photo above).
This method of making a pattern is a
simple one- you wrap a piece of aluminum
foil around the foot of a shoeless doll, draw
the shoe of your dreams with a marking
pen, remove the foil and flatten it out.  
Voilà- you have a shoe pattern, or at least
the beginnings of one!    

The shoes described in this write-up are
featured on Robin, from the Small Dolls
series, at right.  
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