As we are getting close to recital time, our felt Ballet Slipper Bookmark Pattern makes a great gift for dance teachers.
Monday evening Michelle called me up and said, “Hey, Mom. Can you do me a favor?” Experience has taught me 2 things… first, I seldom say “No” to my children, and second, no matter how busy I am, I am going to get busier. “What do you need?” I ask. “Well”, she starts, “Wednesday is the girls’ last day of dance class for the year, and I want to make something for Miss Jodi. When I was looking at our projects, I was thinking, I bet lots of people would like a ballet slipper book mark. Do you think you could design one for me? I’ll make it, but I don’t have any of the supplies at home. So if you design it, and put together a kit of the materials, I will make it. Of course, you could blog about it, and you’ll probably want to make one yourself so you can take pics for the tute…” Well, you get the picture!
So, Monday night I designed a Ballet Slipper Bookmark Pattern, and Tuesday I made two. I think they turned out adorable, and Miss Jodi loved it. Although the girls gave 1 to Miss Jodi to use as a book mark, you certainly could make 2 to use as decoration. Enjoy!
Felt Ballet Slipper Bookmark Pattern Materials for 1 slipper:
- Pink felt
- Tan felt
- White felt
- Pink grosgrain ribbon – 1/4″ x 48″ for lace and 1/4″ x 6″ for ribbon
- Embroidery thread
- Pattern
Make a copy of pattern.
Ballet Slipper Bookmark Pattern Directions:
Cut out ribbon and felt as follows (Hints for cutting out felt can be found HERE):
- 2 pieces pink for ballet slipper
- 1 piece tan for sole
- 1 piece white for inside shoe
- 48″ of 1/4″ pink grosgrain ribbon
- 6″ of 1/4″ pink grosgrain ribbon
Note: Since the slipper is not perfectly symmetrical, you will want to stitch them together in the way they were cut out. When you are done appliqueing pieces to the front and back of the slipper, the 2 pieces will be blanket stitched together with the appliques on the outside. When appliqueing pieces to the slipper make sure you are sewing the appliqued pieces on the right side of the pieces.
Using pattern for placement, sew sole to slipper back using a running stitch and 2 strands floss. Set aside. (Note: I forgot to take a pic when I was sewing on the sole, so this pic shows the sole when the slipper is all done.)
Using pattern for placement, pin the inside of the shoe to the slipper front.
Lay the ballet slipper bookmark pattern next to the slipper. Fold the ribbon in half to find the center. Slip the center under the white inside of the shoe following the pattern placement. Pin the ribbon in place.
Beginning directly above one of ribbons, and using 2 strands of floss, sew the inside shoe and ribbon to the slipper using a running stitch. Sew until you catch both ribbons at the front of the shoe.
Fold each ribbon diagonally on the front of the slipper, overlapping in the center, following pattern placement. Pin in place.
Fold each ribbon diagonally behind the inside of the slipper, overlapping under the inside slipper piece, following pattern placement. Pin in place.
Finish sewing the inside to the slipper. When you come to the 2 side crossed ribbons, slide your needle to the back, and tack in place from behind so you cannot see the stitching on the top of the side ribbons. Continue stitching around the top, catching the top ribbons in place between the the side slipper and the slipper.
Using the 6″ of ribbon, tie a small bow. Cut the ends on angles and flatten the bow between your fingers.
Pin bow to the slipper using the pattern for placement. Pin in place. Tack the bow to the slipper from behind. Keep your stitches hidden so they cannot be seen on the front.
Place the wrong side of the slipper front on the wrong side of the slipper back. Pin in place. Blanket stitch the 2 pieces together using 3 strands of floss.
Cut the ends of the ribbons on angles to prevent fraying, and tie the ends together in a bow. It is now ready to be used as a book mark. If you wish to make a pair of ballet slippers, tie the two slippers together.
Unbelievably cute. It boggles my mind that someone can just ask you to design something and you can. I want your genes. I can’t even begin to thank you for this one. I do have a budding little ballerina and she will be nuts when I make these. I will make 2 to hang above her bed. Your detail in incredible. Thank you so much, Kimara. Not only are you one of the talentest designers out there, your generousity never cesses to amazing me. I hope you realize you are one luck daughter, Michelle!
GENIUS!!!
OLu00E1, sou do Brasil, vocu00EA poderia colocar ferramentas de idiomas em seu site?? Muito interessante e legal seu site! Adorei! maravilhoso! mas nu00E3o domino inglu00EAs… obrigado e boa sorte!
I will definitely make this in the next couple of days. It is recital season so this would be a perfect gift for my daughter’s instructor. Your site is always so inspiring.
Will you be my mum? It must be so nice to have a talented mum to make things for you. I am envious. This is so cute. I know my little one will love these. She just started dance and sleeps in her tutu and slippers. Thank you.
what an adorable book mark! I’m sure that my daughter would like to have some… I’ll have to take time sewing it! Thanks so much for this pattern!
They are fantastic! I now want my girlies to take up dance just so I can make one 🙂
Really sweet, I think this is the coolest book mark I’ve ever seen …thank you so much for sharing!!!
…as the real things!
Simply adorable! 🙂
Kimara, you are just great. The design is cute and the tutorial, as allways, perfect! You go on so generous,… thank you!
I’ve been lurking for a while, marvelling at your designs. I just had to add a comment today, as I think the ballet slipper bookmark is perfect. I wish my girls still did ballet. You are very talented. Thank you for sharing.
We just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone that takes the time to leave us little comments. We share our crafts and tutorials out of friendship, and it is so very nice to hear that they are appreciated. We also love getting comments because it makes it easy for us to stop by and visit your blog!
Thank you so much for this fantastic idea. I have 3 grand daughters who all love dancing and have asked me to make them some.
You are very welcome. Always love to see photos of finished projects and the recipients… hint, hint 🙂
~Kimara~
This is one of the BEST things ever! I love working with felt – my favorite fabric! And what little girl (or BIG girl, for that matter) wouldn’t love this? Thank you so much for your generosity in sharing the tutorial! Smiles from Kai
I wish you had these posted a couple of weeks ago when my God daughter had her recital but I’m going to make them for her anyway. These have got to be about the cutest things I’ve ever seen. I love your site and I should tell you that more often. Please don’t burn out on us!
I have enjoyed your style of wool applique and projects so very much. Thank you for sharing your gift.
Linda
Hi! Just found your website and loved the ballet shoes bookmark tutorial! So cute!
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Katia, and we are glad you found Wee Folk Art 🙂
hermosas, gracias
saludos desde Chile
I love this! My ballet loving daughter and neighbor will love this soooooo much. I’m heading out tomorrow to buy supplies.
This is so perfect! I had in mind making some kind of ballet slipper decoration for my daughter but hadn’t sat down to figure it out yet. This is so perfect! I can’t wait to make some. Thank you! Love your work!
I used your idea to create few pendants:
http://rosy-feltrando.blogspot.com/2010/06/scarpette.html
I hope that you don’t mind!
Thanks for the tutorial ^^
We are always delighted when people use our patterns… that’s why we share them 🙂 We do ask, however, that you give design credit to us by linking to the pattern on Wee Folk Art. We are thrilled that you were able to make and sell them as pendants for a necklace and bracelet. How clever!
thank you very much – i made it for my girl’s dancing teacher. She likes it.
I put a picture on my blog today
http://anne-isis.over-blog.com/article-un-marque-pages-pour-une-danseuse-53104580.html
Oh my goodness.. This makes me want to become a ballerina. No joke! I want this bookmark.. Bad! Thanks for the brilliant idea. I love it!
I am so loving these ballet shoes! I have three in ballet, one of which is a boy. I wanted to get them all ballet shoe Christmas ornaments, but everything is pink! Not cool for a boy. Now I can just make three using your wonderful pattern, two pink and one black. Thanks so much!
Brilliant as usual! I will use this for my granddaughters, they will love it. Thank you for taking the time to make such a great tutorial…
Roe
Thank you so much for sharing this. Just made one for my daughter and think I will be doing them for my nieces too. Thanks again.
Perfect for the aspiring ballerina in our lives! Too bad my little cousin doesn’t still dance 🙁
Thanks for this beautiful idea, it’s going to make one little girl very happy this Christmas!
http://danielledaggerxoxo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/ballet-slipper-bookmark.html
i used your bookmark tutorial here! It’s adorable <3!
Thank you for sharing with us this beautiful art… I did mine for my daughter and friends, photo is on my facebook (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=510553018987153&set=a.510551925653929.109028.100000973775492&type=3&theater). You are amazing!
Thanks so much for posting this cute little pattern! I cut it out on cardstock and hot glued the ribbon around the white insole. Then I glued the whole thing to a white card to make birthday invites for my daughter. They turned out very cute. Thanks again!
How clever! I wouldn’t have thought of doing that but now I’m thinking about how all of our appliques could be used to make cards! Thanks so much for sharing the idea. I will run with it! ((hugs)) ~Kimara~
[…] Wee Folk Art provides you with a pattern for creating a delicate little ballet slipper bookmark from pink and white felt and a pink ribbon. Because this craft involves sewing, it makes a better gift for your little dancer than it does an activity, but if they watch or carefully help you they might pick up some of the basics of sewing! […]
Made one as a Christmas ornament for my grandaughter. Added a bit of batting for dimension. So cute and simple! She will love it!