TOMS Refashion // DIY

Hello, friends! I hope you had a lovely week.

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Two summers ago, I bought a pair of TOMS. Loved them. Loooooved them. Until I wore them too much and got holes on the heels. I was quite sad. They lasted me a while and they were incredibly comfortable, but I wasn't ready to part with them quite yet.

I let them sit in the back of my shoe closet for quite some time. I even used them as my "nasty lab shoes" for chem lab last year, but they deserve more than that, don't you think?

So I revived them.

I made these coral skinny jeans, too! Learn how I made them here.

Nifty, huh? I'm quite pleased with the improvement. This is what they looked like before:

Sad little hole-y shoes :(

With a little fabric, fabric glue, and (optional) needle and thread, you can fix your TOMS, too!

(Thanks to my friend/roommate Melody for being my foot model!)

Want to learn how? Click the "Read More" button below!

Here's what you'll need:

-an old pair of TOMS

-fabric glue

-pretty fabric!

-(optional) needle and thread

-pins

-(optional) sewing machine

-seam ripper

-Xacto knife

Here's what you do:

1. Remove the TOMS flag/tag at the back heel of the shoe with a seam ripper. 

2. This first step is optional, but makes them look more finished. Take a long chunk of your fabric, fold over the edge about 1/4", then fold over another 1/4." Sew in a straight line along the edge.

3. You're going to start in the middle, then go around the back/heel of the shoe and then finish up with the toe. The easiest way to explain it is just to follow the way the TOMS fabric goes.

Spread fabric glue evenly on the middle part of the shoe. Start by folding under an edge of the fabric. Stick it down where the pieces of fabric meet (see picture below) and stick a pin through the fabric and shoe to keep it in place while it dries.

When you come across the little sticky out-y TOMS tag on the other side, put the fabric underneath that.

Make your way around the back edge/heel of the shoe, gluing and pinning as you go.

4. When you are done with the sides and back of the shoe, take the piece of fabric that you sewed on and put that on the toe of the shoe. When you get to the very tip of the toe, you will have to fold the fabric under a bit like the TOMS fabric does.

 5. Make a "V" cut where the elastic is and then a small slit in the very center of that.

Fold under the pieces of fabric, then glue and pin in place.

4. Once the fabric is all glued down, allow to dry for a while. Then, take an Xacto knife and trim the fabric along the sole of the shoe as close as you can get without letting the original fabric show through. You can also use fray check here if your fabric frays easily.

5. This last step is optional as well, but I think it adds a very nice touch! I went along all the edges - along the soles, along the top edges by the ankle, and the "V" of elastic - and made small X stitches.

And there you have it! Cute remade TOMS for much less than the cost of a new pair!

 I also stitched on the little blue and white TOMS flags/tags to the back of the heel so that they kept the authenticity.

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"If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"

-Ecclesiastes 4:10

Have a great Labor Day weekend and week!