Today's guide will consist of a step by step tutorial of how to create the ombre effect on shorts using tie dye and bleach. Ladies, these shorts are so simple to make and they look adorable on. I had much fun experimenting with dyes and putting together this neat guide for all of you. At the end of the day, I had paint everywhere and I smelled like bleach. Yikes! Nevertheless, it was all worth it!!! I know you have probably seen tons and tons of blogs who have done this activity, but you will enjoy this one because I will provide you with helpful tips to keep in mind while doing this fun project. Are you ready to dip 'n' dye??? Let's start!
Step 1:
The first thing you will need to do is take a trip to your local thrift store and buy a pair of high waisted denim jeans. They usually run cheap around $3 or $4 dollars. Then, you would take a trip to your local Wal-Mart or super center. Here, you will find the following:
· Dye
· Sand paper
· Clear bottle (ketchup dispenser bottle)
· Bleach
· Toothbrush
· Scissors
· Rubber gloves
· Trash bags
· Protective eye gear
· Bucket
· Soda ash
Most of these items you probably already own, so there is no need to buy new ones. Once you have all the supplies, you will now be ready to cut the shorts!
Step 2:
When cutting the shorts, you need to play it by ear. What I mean by this is, to make the first cut at knee length and go from there. Remember, to only cut one side first. In this step, it all depends in how short or long you are going to want these babies. I recommend to place your hand where the back pocket ends and cut where your hands ends; That will be a good size for your shorts. Once the length is determined, fold the jeans in half (hot dog style) and cut the other portion off. As I mentioned earlier, once you are ready to cut, remember to only trim one side so when you chop off the other segment, both sides will be equally proportioned. Once that is done with, your shorts should look something like this...
Step 3:
In this step, you will be utilizing your scissors to distress the shorts. To do this, you need to open your scissors and grab them from one blade and run them in a horizontal direction along the end of the shorts. You also want to run them in a vertical direction to pull the treads out. The more you run the scissors, the more distressed your shorts will be.
Step 4:
To add even more distress to your shorts, you can use the sand paper. To do this, you get the sand paper and rub it against the shorts in a vertical direction on the distressed section. The more you use the sand paper, the more distress your shorts will be. This will create a very pretty effect on the shorts.
Your shorts should be looking somewhat like this...
You are now ready to dip 'n' dye!
Step 5:
Before you start working with the dyes and bleach, make sure you wear protective eye gear and rubber gloves. I do not suggest using regular latex gloves because they will tear once you touch the bleach. The eye gear will protect your eyes while pouring the bleach into the bucket. Now that you are being safe, you are ready to have fun. Moving on, you need to pour the bleach into your bucket. In this occasion, you can pour the whole container. Once you have poured it all out, you need to decide whether you want to completely whiten your shorts and prepare them for tie dye or if you only want to bleach a portion. To bleach a segment of the shorts, all you would do is dip the segment you want bleached and leave them there for about 3 minutes. After the 3 minutes, take the shorts out of the bucket and throw them into the washing machine.
Now to color them, do the same procedure mentioned above but instead of placing the shorts into the washer, you are going to color them with dye. However, before you begin experimenting with the colors, you will need to set a station to work on your shorts. This is where the trash bags come in. All you have to do is lay the trash bags on the floor and place your shorts on top.
Step 6:
Once your station is set up, you are ready to add color to your shorts!!!! For this activity, I utilized the Tulip fabric dye. I do not recommend you purchase this brand because the color fades as soon as you place the shorts on water. If you decide to go with this brand, since it is inexpensive, make sure to buy the Tulip soda ash so the dye can be more vibrant and last longer. In my activity, there were several things I did wrong; this was one of them. I forgot to add the soda ash during the final wash. Moreover, depending on the type of brand of dye you purchase, the instructions of preparing the dye will vary. For example, for the Tulip brand dye all you need to do is mix the dye in hot water and add 3 tablespoons of salt. Then, you would mix the bottle every 5 minutes for a total of 45 minutes. Furthermore, I suggest you use a container like a ketchup dispenser bottle or perhaps a hair dye bottle to prepare the dye. Therefore, when you are applying the dyes, the process will be smooth and efficient.
When coloring the shorts, it is really up to you on how you want to design your shorts and what colors to use. I recommend using vibrant and pastel colors like mints, pinks, oranges, yellows blues and greens. These colors look beautiful on the shorts. One thing I want to add is if you go with ombre effect, when you apply the dye, make sure to implement the paint at 45 degree angle while elevating the end of the shorts at the same time. By doing this, you will avoid the dye from smearing into the other colors. Moreover, once you have applied all the colors you want to use on the shorts, use a toothbrush to blend the colors for a more natural ombre effect. You can do this by gently utilizing the toothbrush to scrape in circular motions in between the different colors.
Step 7:
Last but not least, once the shorts have been colored and done with, the last step would be to place them in the washer. When placing the shorts in the washing machine, keep in mind to add the soda ash so the dye won't fade when it comes in contact with the water. Anyhow, when the washer stops, place the shorts into the dryer and wait for them to dry. Once the shorts have dried, you are now ready to rock them!!! Now that you have dyed your shorts, you can add cute little studs on the pockets or lace or any other cute add on.
All in all, this activity should take you anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour or 2 at the most.
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