Kasut Manek Tutorial – Part 4: Measuring Foot Size

Continuing from [Part 3 – Filling in the beads], now that your shoe vamp is fully beaded, it’s time to turn it into a beautiful pair of Peranakan Kasut Manek! The next step? Measuring your foot size to ensure a perfect fit! Let’s get started!

This tutorial is part of a four-part series on making Kasut Manek, with each part providing more in-depth details to guide you through the process:

Part 1 – Preparing the Aida Canva Frame
Part 2 – How To Bead The Outline
Part 3 – Filling in the Design
Part 4: (Current Part and the last one)

If you have a local shoemaker who specializes in Kasut Manek, the easiest way is to get them to measure your feet. But if you can’t visit a shop in person, don’t worry! This tutorial will show you how to trace your foot size and send the measurements to your shoemaker.

How to Measure Your Foot for Kasut Manek

Since most people have slightly different sizes for each foot, always use the larger foot as your reference.

What You’ll Need:

1. A piece of paper (larger than your foot)
2. Tape (to keep the paper in place)
3. A pencil
4. A ruler

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Secure the paper – Tape a sheet of paper flat on the floor so it doesn’t shift while tracing.
2. Position your foot – Place your foot firmly on the paper. If you plan to wear stockings with your Kasut Manek, wear them while measuring.

3. Trace your foot – Hold the pencil upright (perpendicular to the paper), not angled in or out. Carefully trace the outline of your foot, keeping the pencil snug against your foot for an accurate shape.
4. Mark the centerline – Draw a straight centerline along the length and width of your foot, like in the reference image.
5. Measure your foot size – Use a ruler to measure the length and width along the centerline.
6. Adjust for accuracy – Subtract 3/16″ from the measurement to offset the slight gap between the pencil line and your actual foot size.
7. Find your shoe size – Compare your measurements to the size chart and pick the size closest to your readings.

Length = _____ inch- 3/16 inch = ________ inch (refer to chat 1 for your shoe size)

Width = ______ inch – 3/16 inch = ________ inch (refer to chat 2 for your shoe width)