After pointe class take your shoes off and remove all padding from of the box of the shoe. Take a plastic bag and stuff into it paper towels, newspaper, or tissue paper. Then stuff the bag into the box of your pointe shoes. This will prevent the box from shrinking or losing shape as the glue dries. Place the shoes somewhere dry and airy (not in your dance bag) so they can dry. Sometimes a mesh pointe shoe bag can be helpful if you're carrying around endless pairs of pointe shoes.

Pointe shoes need about 36 hours to dry. Many people, like me, dance on pointe almost everyday. So our pointe shoes don't have time to dry. In this case a second pair of pointe shoes should be purchased. Then rotate your two pairs, allowing one pair to dry while the other pair is in use. If you're on pointe for three days in a row a third pair should be purchased. That will allow the shoes to get their 36 hours of drying time. Rotating your shoes can make them last up to 50% longer.

New products are now being introduced that supposedly absorb the moisture from the pointe shoes. These "pointe savers" are placed in the shoe when you take the shoes off. Some change color once they've absorbed all the moisture they possibly can. Then you just microwave and use them again. While the claims that these products will significantly increase the life of your pointe shoes seem a little optimistic they should actually help decrease the drying time.

Fabulon can be re-applied as long as the shoes have time to dry before the next application. If Fabulon is applied before the shoe is dry it will trap the moisture into the shoe and the shoe will actually break down faster. It can also be applied to the shank of the shoe, but it only lasts one wearing. After a few applications the Fabulon will lose its effect.

Besides Fabulon, many other shellacs and glues are available. Some people have been known to drip Crazy Glue into their shoes. Spray hardeners are easy to apply. While glue and other products are very effective for hardening pointe shoes you should be careful when selecting a hardener. Some shellacs are toxic and may cause skin reactions. All shellacs and glues should be used in a well ventilated area. Avoid breathing the fumes!

Ask your pointe shoe manufacturer what glue they suggest because some glues will only work on certain types of shoes. For example, Fabulon will not work with Sansha's. With Gaynor Mindens, no glue is needed to re-harden the shoe, but to prevent the satin from coming off the tip, Duco cement (also available at any hardware store) should be applied to the seams on the tip of the shoe. Some companies have provided other ways to harden the shoe. Certain styles of Gamba pointe shoes can be steamed to re-activate the glue. Sansha pointe shoes come with stems that can be placed in the shoe once the shank has lost its strength.

Then I pin the ribbons in, across the insole, not to the insole. Another option would be to cut the ribbon into four pieces, fold under one end of one piece of ribbon and pin it into the shoe. When sewing, I suggest doubling the thread or using an upholstery thread to make the stitches stronger. Start by doing a whip stitch in a complete square starting at one side of the ribbon going all the way down to where it hits the insole. Do a running stitch across right before the insole, and continue with a whip stitch back up the other side. Next, do another running stitch across the top, being careful not to go through the drawstring. Do this on both sides of the one shoe, and your ribbons will be totally secure. While some people suggest a sewing machine, I sew by hand to prevent costly sewing machine mistakes. Remember, sew only through the lining material (usually canvas) of the shoe, not the satin, except when sewing Gaynor Mindens. In that case, sew all the way through the satin, as there is only one piece of material. Make the stitches small so that they cannot be seen from stage.

Be careful when pulling the drawstring too tight, especially when it is elastic. To prevent Achilles tendon injuries, I do too tiny stitches right through the drawstring, on either side of my heel before pulling the drawstring tight. These stitches allow only the drawstring around my heel to be pulled, but not the drawstring at the Achilles tendon. If you need to pull the drawstring too tight your shoe is likely too big or too wide and can cause serious injuries.

When attaching the elastic, fold down the heel of the shoe like we did earlier with the ribbon. Next, mark the crease the shoe makes on the inside of the shoe with a pencil. The mark should look like a round semi-circle. Use that as a guide for the angle in which to sew the elastics. The elastics can be sewn on the inside or the outside of the shoe, depending on the teacher's preferences. Sew the elastics using a whip stitch, and a running stitch along the top near the drawstring. Be careful not to sew through the drawstring. Use safety pins the secure the elastic, then try on the shoe to make sure the elastic is not too tight or too loose. The elastic should be slightly loose when you pin it because it gets slightly tighter once you sew it.

If the heel of the shoe falls off your foot I suggest sewing a small loop onto the back of the heel. First, take a thin piece of elastic, and make a loop that is slightly crossed over, almost like an upside down "V". Then, sew it onto the back on the heel along the drawstring using a running stitch. Sew it onto the outside if it rubs your Achilles too much when sewn on the inside. Finding the right tightness is very important. I suggest pinning the elastic before you sew it on to make sure that it is not too tight or too loose. Pass the ribbons through the loop once or twice if necessary when tying them on. While the ribbons may appear a little bunched, this little elastic loop has saved me in some cases when I couldn't get a new pair, and I just had to make do. While many people oppose this technique, it has never given me problems. If it does rub your Achilles tendon or hurt you in some way, then I would suggest that you avoid using this elastic loop.