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Yes! I am so happy with how this re-fashion turned out. I have been longing for mint jeans (along with the rest of the English speaking-world) all spring. So I decided to do something about it. And that something was not spending $60 on up for the available options. See my tutorial below!
First I bought a pair of white jeans for $6 at Savers. They weren't skinny jeans, just plain old straight leg.
So I quickly fixed that problem with seriously basic sewing. Which I'll explain:
I bought them because they fit in the waist and that's about all I cared about. To be clear: I did not alter the waist at all. Just the legs from mid-thigh down to the bottom.
All I did was turn the white pants inside-out, lay a pair of skinny jeans I had that fit well on top of them. I pinned the white ones right on the line of the inside where I wanted to sew them up. I sewed the straight line along where I had pinned. Then cut the excess fabric off, and they were skinny.
After that was done I used Tulip brand dye in the shade 'Green Vert' to turn them mint green.
The dye was $2 after coupon at Hobby Lobby. Just follow the directions on the package... Instead of putting in a sink or bucket like the package told me, I soaked them in my washing machine. No mess! I opted for a lighter mint so I only kept mine in for about 15 mins, but you can go pretty dark if you want to, just by leaving it in longer. And, no, nothing else turned green after that - the washing machine rinsed out on it's own.
Cue angels singing.
Here I am, uneasily taking pictures of myself with self-timer so that I can show this to you all. I am truly happy to do it. I just don't know what faces to make? Where should I put my arms? Etc.
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Update: This doesn't seem to work exactly the same for everyone. Some people report having their jeans turn lime green, and some of them have countered that by re-dying with a small amount of teal blue dye. I have not tried this personally but hopefully that helps if yours do not turn out as minty! :) Also, I am happy to answer questions, but if the answer is written in the post above I will not answer it in the comments. Please read the entire post before asking questions.
Natural-Nesters
Ok seriously!!??? This is so freaking adorable and makes me want to run to the nearest goodwill and find some white pants!! I have always wanted to use fabric dye for clothes but never have! This makes me more confident to try it htough! And to try altering jeans so easily! So smart!
I love this and would love for you to link this up to our naturally-Nifty party this week going on right now!
http://natural-nester.blogspot.com/2012/05/naturally-nifty-linky-party-14.html
Shani
I've been looking for mint jeans for ages and they are always sold out. I can't believe that I didn't think of dying my own. I can't wait to try this.
Daydreams & Destinies
Jami
after you said this:
And then there is me, uneasily taking pictures of myself with self-timer so that I can show this to you all. I am truly happy to do it. I just don't know what faces to make? Where should I put my arms? Etc.
...i had no choice but to follow your blog. hilarious and a little awkward, yet completely lovely. this is a great idea. :)
Rachel
Those are SO PERFECT!!! I am going to the thrift store to find some white jeans.
Becoming Refined
Wow, such an awesome DIY, it's especially perfect for the pastel trend this season.
Kylee and Shelbi Holt
Mine turned out great!! I did teal dye and the pants turned out a light aqua blue. Just like I wanted! Have you tried washing yours after you have worn them? I am worried that they will fade and will bleed dye onto my other clothes. Let me know! Thanks!
erica
Yep mine turned out lime green as well! So sad!
Alexa P.
did this and it failed... I was so disappointed. :( they turned out lime green... not mint green. And I kept them in for only 13 minutes!
Sarah
Bummer! I wonder why...? on the bright side there is always the option of re-dying?! Maybe a darker color? Cobalt blue is the color I have been hoping to do next!
Anonymous
Can you tell me what material your jeans are made of? I left my jeans (98% cotton/2% spandex) in the green vert for about 10 mins and it turned an ugly green! Help!! Only the inside pockets were mint color!
Sarah
Mine are the same, 98%/2%- Bummer that happened. I bet they can be fixed somehow!
Anonymous
I re dyed it with teal and it came out a sea green which is still better than before. How hot was your water? I'm thinking my water was too hot so it turned out super green?
angelinamarie
I did my jeans with almost boiling water and left them in for 15 minutes and they turned out lime green too...so I did some research and found that Rit Dye makes a Color Remover (bought it at Walmart) and used it to lighten my jeans. I had to do the process twice, but I got them to a very light minty green color! Definitely worth trying on your pair
angelinamarie
Oh forgot to add...I found the Rit Color Remover on the laundry aisle next to the bleach.
Anonymous
Mine turned out Lime green, I used the tulip green vert and left them in for 15 mins...
Mickaela
Aeropostale is currently selling white skinny capris for $9.99, so if you're not good at sewing or think its too much work and are willing to pay a little more I would try Aeropostale.
Sarah
Awesome tip Mickaela! I have been wondering if I can find some cheap ones that are already skinny so I can skip the sewing step. Thanks!
Sarah
To all of you who have questions, I am going to do a more in-depth tutorial as soon as I get the time. I have not had a chance yet due to a lot of things going on in my personal life. I'm sorry if I was not specific enough in the first one! I am new at this tutorial thing so I hope you can bear with me as I learn :)
Anonymous
Ok, so when you were making the jeans skinny where exactly did you stop with the sewing and the cutting because when I tried to make a pair I had to sew to the original "crotch hem" and then when I cut the hemming was not sturdy enough and a huge hole ripped right through the crotch...not cute. Please help.
Sarah
I wish I knew how to help, unfortunately I am not a very good seamstress. This was one of my first sewing projects. I stopped up at the top of the thigh where the pants fit me right so I did not have to do anything with the crotch area.
Anonymous
So let me clarify, haha! So when you were dying the jeans, you decided to use the washing machine instead of filling a bucket or sink? And you didn't even turn on the washer? You just acted as though it was a huge bucket? Because I thought you dyed it through machine washing it so I was just looking up "How To's" on that for the past half hour, and let me tell you, it does not look easy! haha! There is a whole technique to it and I was just about to give up until I read some of your replies!
Also, would it be a good idea to just take a pair of old jeans and bleach them white? And then dye them mint green after?
Sarah
Yes to all of those questions! I have seen a tutorial on bleaching and then dying before. Here is the link:http://cottonandcurls.blogspot.com/2012/03/dying-jeans-or-pantspurple-this-time.html
Mary Beth
I just tried it ans my first attempt didn't work because i had the wrong green. My second try turned out awesome! I bought a cheap pair of white jeans,and washed them and left them wet. I filled the washing machine for a small load on hot water, added the Tulip brand green vert dye to the water along with 1/4 c salt. I put the wet jeans in, put lid down and let it aggitate for the cycle time. mine was about 12 min or so. Let it rise and spin and when they were done they looked great. Good luck with yours!!!!
Alyson
This is brilliant, so obvious, yet so brilliant.
Question though, did you sew up the inside seam or the outside seam?
Sarah
Inside!
Atryell
Thanks for this tutorial it is absolutely genius! The only problem I am having is finding that dye color. I went to the Orem hobby lobby and had no luck! Do you think green and maybe the teal or turquoise together would make a mint color? I also want to know where you at the jazz game last Monday night? I swear I saw a girl in this exact outfit!
Sarah
Atryell that is so funny, yes I was at that Jazz game! Debuting my new outfit :) I think you could probably have luck doing that with the two colors but I have never tried it so who knows? If you have a white tee you don't care about anymore maybe you could do a test run and see how it looks?
Anonymous
Do you just use like tye dyeing dye? or is it a specific type of dye?
Sarah
No if you search for tulip brand dye online of in your local craft store you will find tye dying dye as well as regular permanent dye, the latter is the kind you will want to use if you want an even color all over.
Joy
Oh my word! Making theses! So great! (Can you tell by my exclamation points I'm excited, haha)
Anonymous
Why is this the perfect mint?? I fell in love with the aqua mint pants from American Apparel, but was not willing to spend $75 for them. I found them on Overstock for $38 and ordered them last week. The sizing on them are iffy, so I was going to return them if they didn't fit. Now I'm kind of hoping they don't fit so I can return them and try this!