Dip Dye DIY Ombre'

May 02, 2012

A few weeks back two of my sisters, my niece and I got together for a day of fun. One of our projects was to dip dye shirts.  We laughed all day.  It was a fun activity and we will be doing this one again.  I recommend you have great girl friends or sisters together for this project as you will spend most of it laughing at each other and your creations.  Don't say I didn't warn you!

Your supplies are fairly simple.  A bucket, all thought a stainless sink is recommended we think now maybe a wallpaper tray would work.  My sister's sink was ceramic so we used her sons baseball buckets!  It worked just fine.  

A spray bottle to help bleed the color, clip hangers, dye, rubber gloves, and a location to hang them to drip dry.  (The yard) 


We mixed the dye as directed.  We used Dylon dye.  I did research on dye and found this to be a vibrant color.  I think our colors were Flamingo Pink, And China Blue.

Once we mixed it we only added 3/4 of the dye to the bucket of water until we dipped the shirts the first two times.  Then once the shirt was ready for the final color we added the remaining dye to the bucket. There are no pictures to show the actual dipping process for two reasons:  1.  We were up to our elbows in dye, and 2.  We were laughing pretty hard at the whole process.   At one time in the day (feeling confident that my hands were fine), I rubbed my nose with my glove!  Yes, a glove that has been in blue dye.  Laughter ensued!  Katie's leg itched so I scratched it with my glove again.... this time my hands had been in pink dye.  Later on her leg looked as if she had major varicose veins!  So lets pretend we understand how to dip a shirt in a bucket.  We clipped the shirts onto the hangers by the shoulders so they would be ready to dry, and it assisted in keeping them straight.  We had pre washed all the shirts and re wet them to dip.  One person held the shirt by the shoulders while another guided the shirt in the dye careful not to get it on the top section we wanted to remain white.  With the shirt ready to dip, lower it in the dye up as far as you want the first color. We chose right at the armpit, but you can make it where ever you want.   Hold it in the dye for no more than 5 seconds then lift it straight up.  Your assistant will need to spray this color at the top with the clear water spray bottle.  This helps diffuse the bleed line into the white to not be a harsh line.  

Then dip the shirt again but this time only dip it in the dye 2/3rds the way in.  Hold in the dye for approximately 20 seconds.  You may need to spray this line with the clear water, but judge the color line after you lift it out.  Then the final dip is the lower 1/3 of the shirt and we left it in for several minutes.  Pretty pink huh?
The first shirt I dipped was this one.  It ended up getting a deep dye spot on the front of the shirt where the dye absorbed greater than other areas.  I was ready to forget this shirt until my sister in law suggested we tie dye effect it and dip the top white, then soak the bottom section in dye.  It ended up coming out pretty fun and was no longer a waste!  

Katie wanted to do a onesie for her baby that is due in just a few weeks, and I decided to make a blue onesie for my newest grandson that is due this fall.  She said it would jinx me to do blue, but nope it didn't!

It was hard to get a picture showing the true effect, but they turned out pretty good and the best thing about it was the fun we had making them!


All photos by Lisa

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1 comments

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