D.I.Y Day 5#: A Guide To Dying Fabric

Here is just a really basic guide for anyone who has never dyed clothing etc .. before, it can seem like it may be a little complex but it's really easy and you shouldn't be scare to try it out. So the best people for buying dye is DYLON, I know there dye works and it doesn't fade quickly like others. They also have a whole range of colours to choose from, and sale different amounts of dye so you could dye your bedding to just a T-shirt. They also now do machine dye, which again is really easy to use you just follow thew instructions (which are just like the hand dye ones but of course goes in your washing machine).

So here are the items I choose to dye: 

Reasons for dying, they were dull and I didn't like the colour. This is a great way of revamping something you love, or maybe something you have never worn because the colour didn't suit you or in this case were just 'bla'.
Remember to check your fabric first as you can't dye certain fabric, the dye just won't take. Also note the colour mixing rules apply (e.g.. blue on red gives you purple), so if it's white or pale coloured that's perfect.

Choosing a colour, Okay so think about the colour rule or you could end up ruining your item. If it's pale or white, than you can go for any colour like I said there is a wide range so see what's in trend or simple what suits you. Also if your using an ombre effect you can use a few different colours.

Different technique, there are so many dip dye, tie dye, ombre and double dying. So don't think you have to dye the whole thing or just have a solid colour. Have a play with different items to see the different effects (you can always swatch a piece of old fabric if your unsure). If you have a plain white shirt why not ombre the bottom of it.

Fabrics you can dye: cotton, linen & viscose. Lighter shades on wool, silk, polyester.
Fabrics you can't dye: pure polyester, acrylic, nylon and fabric with special finishes.
Wash separately for first few washes to remove any excess dye


Items before

My ombre dress, watch the video below for a how to on dying



So this is how mine turned out:
The lace dress was perfect, I knew it wouldn't take to the underlay which created this very now look that I have seen in River Island, Topshop and other high street stores for 2012 lace dress.
The T-shirt looks more tie dyed, this is because I had it with other items so it come out more patchy. If you want a solid colour remember it's better to dye an item on it's own and leave it for a few hours just to be sure.
Zebra Print dress, as planned the ombre effect worked with only a little dye escaping I'm really happy with it and now look forward to wearing this dress. Remember you can always dye the bottom, or even double the ombre by dying the other bit another colour (e.g. If I dyed the bottom green).


Watch the video for a quick how to step by step guide.

7 comments

  1. I'm SO going to try this! :D

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  2. wow, amazing post!!! i've seen a lot of these looks, but never tried any of them yet. Love the lace dress too. thanks for your great how-to...will be sure to post my results when i try it !

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  3. The lace dress came out amazing! I had no idea you could get that effect homemade. I've been wanting an ombre t-shirt, I think I might try making one myself now you've made it look so easy! Where do you get the dye from? :)

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  4. Wow the lace dress looks so cool! I'm planning on using that colour dye on some of my shorts soon! Very excited :) Thanks for the guide! x

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  5. Oh my god! WELL DONE!
    I especially love the H&M top!! Definitely going to try this... :)

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  6. Thanks ladies, I actual got my dye off Ebay :) just type in DYLON and go to buy it now. There are heaps of people who sale it x

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  7. Wow! I have that lace dress, this is definitely something I have to give a go. Love the dip dye things too. <3

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Thank you for your comments, I really do love hearing from you x