For those interested in some details - the shoes are vintage 1930's size 5 1/2, and there are around 2500 sequins sewn on silk overlays attached to each shoe. The bows each contains 46 rhinestones, 3 central glass stones and varying numbers of bugle beads. The sequins are metallic 5mm flat sequins, which have been aged ( I didn't age them myself and don't know the process). There are some details that I haven't done - adding an Innes Shoe Co. label inside the right shoe, gluing felt on the soles or adding Judy Garland's name inside the shoe. I still may do some of this.
There is debate over whether the original shoes used metallic or transparent sequins. Here's a link to an interesting article concerning the sequins on the slippers - Why do they look like that?
Here's a fascinating blog covering one slipper maker's process - The Ruby Slippers Project. I took a different route, but there are still a number of good reference points.
Another interesting site is The Ruby Slipper Fan Club . Here you can find more information on the various original shoes, see other reproductions and view a helpful blueprint containing a number of useful measurements.
I found Etsy to be a very useful site for finding supplies - particularly the Dreamer of Oz shop, which has had various helpful things.So, if you're feeling inspired, why not give it a shot? It's certainly a project you'll remember!
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3 comments:
So after you sewed the sequins onto the netty fabric stuff in the picture, how did you attatch it to the shoe?
The overlays were attached by a combination of glueing and sewing. I used a few different adhesives - contact cement, heat set glue and Elmer's... I believe the originals were sewn to the shoes, unfortunately this particular vintage pair had turned quite hard with age, and it really wasn't possible to sew through them - so I improvised!
Bill - the original overlays were both sewn and glued to the shoes, so you're still being true to authenticity!
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