Composition Toddler, Footwear, part 5

Okay, I thought I'd have my toddler done for this post but I didn't consider drying time, so.....off to the socks and shoes. Socks are pretty simple, I cut mine from a odd sock that is close knit, and I cut it like the shape of a foot. Measure around the big part of the leg though and the heel. Normally any doll with age will have a straight sock, but I want my doll socks to stay up so I made them fitted.

Because it is a square toe sock, the seam needed to be stitched across the toes. I did that on the doll itself.

The shoes are a little more difficult to make, I chose leather because I think any restored dolls should have nice shoes. I start by tracing my foot (with sock) on thin cardboard, cut two shapes, one opposite from the other. Measure the foot shape and cut the sole of the shoes 1/4'' bigger. Then you measure across the top of the foot at its widest part, divide by two and add 1/4'' seam allowance to each side of cut shoe. If the back of your shoe pattern is placed on the fold that means adding the extra where to cutting is done. A free pattern of my shoe is included, enlarge, then file click for a print out. I left the pattern at the top of the post because moving it corrupted it and I wasn't able to enlarge it

When you have all your shoe stitched, place the cardboard inside and glue it to the bottom of the shoe. You will find you'll need to trim the insert, that's okay. The measurement was only a starting point and the insert should be trimmed to fit the sole.


I chose a soft leather and hand stitched my shoes. My leather was purchased at a fabric warehouse, and it was $8.00 a pound. Fortunately it was soft enough to hand stitch. Everything for my toddler is hand stitched as I prefer it that way. Harder leather would require an awl. I made these period era time and decided it needed ties.

It was not easy stitching these shoes, leather is difficult to work with, I only wished I had smell-a-vision. The scent of the leather is wonderful.

O-kay........A sneak peek......C & G Design.