It’s Kara from While Camden Sleeps and today I want to talk about the easiest and fastest way to make a dramatic change in an item of clothing–fabric dye. This stuff can literally save you from having to toss out old clothing by making it look new again, like the dress above. Can you believe that’s the same dress in both pictures?
I’m big on refashioning clothes. If you are new to that term, it basically means that I take old and outdated pieces and alter them into cute new styles. Most of what I do involves sewing alterations, but I have found dye to be incredibly efficient in updating older pieces. The best part is, anyone can do it! It’s so easy!
From my personal experience, I want to share three reasons why you should try out fabric dye.
Three Reasons to Try Fabric Dye
1. Restoring Original Color
Dye can be used to return your clothing to its original color. Jeans are a great example of this. If you have cute jeans that fit well, but the wash has faded drastically, or the light color is no longer in style, you can throw that pair in the washing machine with some navy RIT dye and just an hour later have a pair that looks brand new. This is also fabulous for black clothing, which tends to fade quickly.
2. Crafting
Fabric dye can be used for a plethora of fun crafts, such as this ghost shirt where glue was used as a dye resistant so I could dye the shirt but keep some parts the original color. Wooden beads and other materials can also be dyed. It’s great for tie-dye and ombre effects as well. Check out these ideas on pinterest.
3. Dramatic Color Changes
This is what I usually use my dye for. Before I buy something, I always check the fabric to see if it is dyeable. For tips on whether something can be dyed or not, click here. I’ve had a lot of luck with this in the past. I’ve used both RIT dye and Dylon Dye and they both worked really well for me as long as I followed the directions. RIT also has a color guide that helps you know what dyes to use in order to get an exact color.
So there you have it! Go give it a try, and while I’m thinking about it, let me know if you have any suggestions for what color I should dye my next project:
Best of luck,
Kara
P.S. check out our most popular post ever — DIY Mint Jeans for $8! Yes, the mint jeans trend has come and gone but you can do ANY color. That’s the magic of fabric dye!