I decided to share a glimpse of the process of making dollie shoes. This particular stage is a very important one, as any mistake done can ruin the item.
Here are my shoelasts. I prefer to form the tips according to a current shoe design.
Wrap the shoelast into cling film, so it won't stick to the shoe.
I use thin and soft leathers, which have to be reinforced. So I add a layer of thin fabric and generously soak it with PVA glue. I make double layer at the toes.
PVA glue makes the leather much stiffer, so only a lower parts are soaked with it. I usually leave the parts above the ankle as is, so a natural folds are formed in those places.
The reinforcement layer should be wrapped around the inner sole.
I create the anatomical shape out of styrofoam. Usually feet of BJD dolls are flat, so the inner sole creates a necessary support, and the curved shape is added on top of the insole.
Wrap the top of the shoe around the shoelast.
Add another layer of PVA. Glue the top of the shoe to the shoelast. Pull on the front part so it stretches and wraps around the protruding tip without folds.
Cut out the "teeth" from the allowance. Don't cut too close to the bending line, but rather leave 1-2 mm uncut, so these cuts are not visible on the sides.
Glue the allowance with hot glue. It cools off very fast, and can be melted back if you did any mistakes.
I usually proceed from the back to the toes.
The "teeth" are more narrow at the toes, as it allows to smooth out any folds in this area.
You can purchase a complete tutorial with 100+ very detailed photos of each step on my site.