Upcycle your old shorts with reverse dyeing to give them new life and keep the fabric out of the landfill
Last month in my Denim Crafts Roundup I shared the Mom Jean Make-over created by Niki of 365 Days Of Crafts. Well, I had to try it. My shorts are not denim so I didn’t have to bleach them first, but they needed help!
Before you begin to dye any fabric, you first need to figure out what type of dye to use.
This depends solely on what type of fiber was used to make that fabric. In other words, is it cotton? wool? nylon? or a blend of any of those?
Here is your cheatsheet:
- If your fabric is 100% or mostly cellulose aka plant fiber (cotton, bamboo, linen), then you need fiber reactive dyes
- If your fabric is 100% or mostly protein aka animal fiber (wool, alpaca), then you need to use acid dyes
- If your fabric is 100% or mostly synthetic (polyester, nylon), then you would use something like iDye
Supplies Needed
- Jacquard MX Dye in the following colors:
- – Lemon Yellow
- – Golden Yellow
- – Magenta
- Soda Ash
- Ugly Shorts (pre-washed) (must be cotton, linen or rayon)
- Sponge Brushes
- Old Containers* (for mixing dye)
- Plastic Spoons*
- Dust Mask
- 2 Sheets of Plastic
- Rubber or Latex Gloves
- Bucket
- Water
*Containers no longer safe for food prep
Pre-Soaking:
Mix 1 Gallon Warm Water with 1 Cup of Soda Ash in the Bucket. Add the Shorts and soak for about 30 minutes.
Mixing the Dye:
For each color:
Put on the dust mask! Mix 2 teaspoons of Dye Powder with about 1 tablespoon of warm water in a mixing container. Stir well to dissolve and then add 8 ounces of water.
Painting:
Cover the table with plastic. With gloved hands, remove the shorts from the soda ash water. Wring out excess liquid and then place the shorts on the plastic, straightening out any wrinkles.
Note: if you don’t want the paint to bleed through from the front to the back of the shorts, place a piece of cardboard inside. Since I’m doing the same design on both sides, I skipped this part.
Using the sponge brushes, paint the colors on in a design of your choice. I did stripes … cause I like stripes 🙂
Painting the Backside
Cover the shorts with another sheet of plastic and carefully flip the whole thing over. Remove the plastic and paint the backside. Again, this can be the same design as the front or it can be completely different!
Setting the Fabric Paint:
Once the shorts are completely painted, cover the top with plastic and let it sit for 24 hours. Rinse with warm and then hot water until the water runs clear and the excess dye has been removed. Hang to dry.
There ya go! Brand new shorts! Wash separately. . . . ENJOY!
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This Fabric Dye Set has everything you need! 4 Fabric Dyes and Soda Ash
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