DIY Fail | Tea Tie-Dye

Have you ever had a “great idea” and then it didn’t quite turn out as you expected? Well it happens to me all the time… part of the learning process. Though part of my “failures” are due to the fact that I don’t think the project through logistically..I just go. Well, I have been wanting to dye my white Toms for the past year. They were a generous bridesmaid gift from a close friend, but I found myself not wearing them often and reaching for my Keds instead.

All this to say I FINALLY dyed them! Yay!! I had been wanting to do a TEA DYE and give them a rusticy, organically look. I successfully dyed them, BUT they looked as if I spent the afternoon running through mud puddles (below). Not quite what I was going for…even if it was “natural.” I wanted a stronger tie-dye-ish pattern as well and the small rubber bands I had on hand didn’t due the trick.

I’ll still share the tea dye process at the end of this post.

SOLUTION: Dye them purple!! I decided I wanted something BRIGHT and FUN for summer.

1. All I did was WRAP THE SHOES IN YARN. Again, I wasn’t thinking. I should have bought large rubber bands to prevent the dye from soaking through the yarn. I still love the results.

2. Use RIT POWDER DYE…it’s available online or at most grocery stores near the laundry detergent in a variety of colors. Follow the instructions on the dye box for prepping. I used the stovetop method and then let the shoes (and a t-shirt) soak facedown for about 45 minutes in a bucket.

3. Rinse the garment with warm water, gradually getting colder until the water run clear. LET THEM AIR DRY.

4. While my shoes were drying I splashed some BLEACH on them. Botta Bing Botta Boom!! “New” shoes!!

WARNING: the first couple times you where your new shoes, dye may bleed onto your feet. Haha. Just rock it. Purple feet is the new black…or not.

Here are the instructions to Tea Dye a garment….

I started with WHITE Toms. I gathered the fabric best I could to create a tie-dye look. I recommend using large rubber bands.

1. Make sure you use have enough water to cover the garment(s) completely.

2. Allow the tea to brew for about 5 minutes. I actually left the tea bags in the pot for the entire process.

3. Place your garment directly in the pot or whatever container you wish to dye in. Leave in the tea until the desired color is reached. I was hoping for a darker color, so I left the shoes in for an hour. When you remove the shoes, rinse in cold water and air dry.