{DIY} TOMS Repair

I didn’t purchase my first pair of TOMS until about two years ago when I was pregnant with my second, and I have hardly taken them off since… and it showed. Something had to be done!

diy toms repair tutorial

I have replaced them a couple of times, but each pair has earned their own lovely holes, and I was determined to find a way to make them last longer. So, as usual, I turned to my stash of drop cloth (left over from my smocked curtains, roman shade, and envelope pillows, among other things) for a solution. Are those holes nasty or what?!

diy toms repair supplies

In the end, I used the following:

  • scissors
  • denim iron-on patch
  • fabric glue, hot glue, and fray check
  • leftover drop cloth material

I started by trimming off the stray threads around the holes, cutting denim patches to cover them, and ironing them on. Once cooled, I slathered the front section in fabric glue and lined up the pre-hemmed side of the drop cloth along the top seam of the shoe, cutting the drop cloth to fit.

toms repair steps 1-3

I made tiny pleats in the same place as the original ones (simply folding the fabric to fit the curve of the shoe). I could have stopped there, but I became worried that the fabric would not stay secure while the fabric glue dried, so I added a tiny bead of hot glue just around the bottom edge – to hold the fabric in place while the fabric glue dried. I also put a bead of fray check around the bottom of the drop cloth. This step probably isn’t necessary (since the fabric glue should keep in from fraying much), but I had it on hand, so I decided it couldn’t hurt.

toms repair steps 4-6

And the whole thing only took me about 20 minutes! Super easy, and the shoes are as comfortable as ever. I also love how the drop cloth kept the neutral  look of the shoes since these were my go-to pair for any color scheme.

diy toms repair tutorial

Not bad for 20 minutes and $0, right? 😉

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6 Comments

  1. Hi Rachel! This is GENIUS! I have only had my Toms for about a year and they are holding strong for now, but I am totally doing this when the holes develop {since it is GOING to happen}. I may even try this on my 3-year-old twin girls’ Tiny Toms. They get holes in them so quickly! Thanks!

    1. Yay! So glad you like it, Tasha. I hope it works well for you!! And, by the way, I must be doing something wrong with my TOMS; I can’t believe yours have lasted a year!

  2. I have iron on patches that are a little darker than the shoes im going to try using for my repairs &I think with my sewing machine I will try aduplicate the stiching on top and then finish as you did
    Thanks for this great idea.

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