Make Dip-Dyed Shorts & A Closet Full of Dyed Camisoles!

Aren’t these awesome shorts?  I bought them on sale at the end of the season and loved the hip distressed look.  But, I had a need to dip them in the color of the ocean.  So I found a recipe for Blue Curacao in the ColoRit Color Formula Guide and the rest is history.  Just a quick dunk in my custom dye mixture and they turned into designer denim shorts!   Don’t you agree?  Why stop now?

On my shopping spree, I bought four white camisoles and dyed them in the most amazing custom colors – Gumby Green #573, Nougat #569, Sodalite Blue #592 and Emberglow #566.  I love how I can mix and match the camisoles with my shorts.  The easy tutorial for the camisoles will follow.

Here's the how-to:

SUPPLIES:

• White Denim Shorts, 100% Cotton
• Rit Liquid Dye:  Aquamarine & Kelly Green
• Measuring Cups & Spoons
• Large 3-Gallon Plastic Container for dyeing
• Large Spoon for stirring dye
• Salt
• Dishwashing Liquid
• Rubber Gloves
• Plastic Table Cover
• Skirt Hanger

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prewash shorts to remove any finishes that may interfere with dye absorption.   Hang dry.

2. Dip shorts in warm water before dyeing.  Squeeze out excess water.  Set aside.

3. Cover work surface with a plastic table cover.

4. How Much Dye to Use:  Weigh the shorts using a food scale.  The shorts weighed 8 ounces.  As a guideline, ½ cup (half bottle) of liquid dye will color up to 16 ounces of dry weight fabric.

Color #565 Blue Curacao was selected from the Rit Color Formula Guide, located on the Blue Green color palette.  This recipe will color 1 ounce of dry weight fabric.  Since the shorts weighed 8 ounces, I multiplied the amount of dye needed for 1 ounce of fabric by 8.  This is a starting point.  I ended up adding an additional teaspoon of Kelly Green after doing some testing. The new recipe is listed below. 

5. Preparing Dyebath:  Shake dye bottles before measuring.  Wearing rubber gloves, measure and mix 1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons) Aquamarine dye and 2 teaspoons Kelly Green with 2 cups very hot water.  Add 1 cup salt and stir well.  

6.  Fill large plastic container with 2 gallons very hot tap water (140° F).  Note:  If water is not hot enough, heat some water in a tea kettle or in the microwave. 

7. Pour dye solution into hot water.  Add squirt of dishwashing liquid and stir well.  Test dye color to be sure you are satisfied.  Note:  If color is too light, add more dye.  If color is too dark, add more water.  This is when I decided to add an extra teaspoon of the Kelly Green to achieve my desired shade.

8. Attach top of shorts to skirt hanger.  Immerse bottom of shorts in dye bath for 3 – 4 minutes, gently moving them up and down and back and forth until you achieve the desired look.  I used a spoon to drizzle some dye in hard-to-reach areas. 

9. Remove shorts from dye bath and wring out excess dye.  Rinse shorts under cool running water until water runs clear, holding the shorts from the top so no dye runs over the white area. Then wash shorts in warm water with mild detergent.  Rinse and dry. 

Dyeing Camisoles

SUPPLIES:

• 4 White 100% Cotton Camisoles
• Rit Liquid Dye:  Cherry Red, Tangerine, Royal Blue, Aquamarine, Kelly Green,
• Measuring Cups & Spoons
• Large 2-Gallon Plastic Container for dyeing
• Large Spoon for stirring dye
• Salt
• Dishwashing Liquid
• Rubber Gloves
• Plastic Table Cover
• Skirt Hanger

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prewash camisoles to remove any finishes that may interfere with dye absorption.   Hang dry.

2. Dip camisoles in warm water before dyeing.  Squeeze out excess water.  Set aside.

3. Cover work surface with a plastic table cover.

4. How Much Dye to Use:  Weigh one camisole using a food scale.  It weighed 2 ounces.  As a guideline, ½ cup (half bottle) of liquid dye will color up to 16 ounces of dry weight fabric.

The custom color recipes in the Rit Color Formula Guide will color 1 ounce of dry weight fabric.  Since each camisole weighed 2 ounces, I multiplied the amount of dye needed for 1 ounce of fabric by 2.   Here are the custom recipes I used.

Gumby Green #573 (Blue/Green palette)

2 Tablespoons Aquamarine

2  teaspoons Kelly Green

Nougat #569  (Brown 1 palette)

1 ½ teaspoons Taupe

¼ teaspoon Golden Yellow

Sodalite Blue #573  ( Blue palette)

¼ Cup Royal Blue

Emberglow #566   (Warm Red palette)

½ teaspoon Cherry Red

2 teaspoons Tangerine

5. Preparing Dyebath for One Camisole:  Choose the color you like.  Shake dye bottles before measuring.  Wearing rubber gloves, measure and mix dye following one of the recipes above.  Add 2 cups very hot water and 1/2 cup salt; stir well.  

6.  Fill large plastic container with 1 gallon very hot tap water (140° F).  Note:  If water is not hot enough, heat some water in a tea kettle or in the microwave. 

7. Pour dye solution into hot water.  Add squirt of dishwashing liquid and stir well.  Test dye color to be sure you are satisfied.  Note:  If color is too light, add more dye.  If color is too dark, add more water. 

8. Immerse camisole in dye bath and stir continuously for 5 to 10 minutes or until desired shade is achieved.  Remember colors appear darker when wet.   

9. Remove camisole from dye bath and wring out excess dye.  Rinse under cool running water until water runs clear.  Then wash in warm water with mild detergent.  Rinse and dry.