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DIY: OMBRE TIGHTS

Friday, April 6, 2012

I'm fairly obsessed with dip dying and the whole ombre look, especially on interesting fabrics and styles. This sweet look hasn't given up yet and persisted on this year's spring runway, in stores and of course DIY projects in droves.  


Case + point: These amazing dip dyed tights from Bzr. They are colorful, drool worthy and reasonably priced ($45) You can find Bzr's etsy store HERE.




Now, I'm kind of a cheap skate when it comes to buying things that I could otherwise make, so I immediately set out to recreate my own version of these sassy stockings. I found an old pair of white sheer hose that I'd had laying around, and decided to give it a shot with something a little more sheer as opposed to the opaque white tights Bzr used. Mostly for practicality - it's about to get hot! So without any more of my blathering, here is my DIY tutorial on making your own dip dye style ombre tights.

Supplies:
1.Rit dye of your choice (I used royal blue)

2. A pair of hose, sheer or opaque depending on the look you're going for. 

3. A bucket, gloves, a trash bag (optional)


Instructions:

1. I used a trash bag to line my bucket so it didn't stain and would be easy to clean up.

2. Prepare your dye by following the provided instructions on the back of the Rit bottle. The basic instructions require you to boil the water, or at least get the water as hot as possible - this helps the dying process. You can also add a pinch of salt to improve your results. 

3. Pour the hot water and the dye into the bucket. I used half the bottle to make sure I got a good, dark shade. 

4. Drape or hang the hose over the side of the bucket and submerge as much or as little fabric as you'd like to get your desired level of ombre. 


5. To make sure that the dye stuck to the fabric correctly, I left the hose in the dye over night. This is completely optional, but I do recommend that you at least leave them in for 5 - 7 hours to allow the dye to penetrate the fabric. 

6. Remove your hose from the dye and ring them out in the sink ( I recommend using gloves, as this process will totally stain your hands if you aren't careful. ) I washed all of the dye out by hand in the sink, but I suppose you could throw them in the washer - but make sure you don't throw them in with anything else. 

7. Allow them to hand dry by hanging them on a pants hanger. 

8. Now they're all yours! Wear them with shorts, a flirty black skirt, or even a white one! The options are limitless. 





3 comments:

  1. i dont understand how it ombred if you leave it sitting in the dye in one spot wont it have a harsh line instead of a gradating effect?

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    Replies
    1. The hose absorbed the color, so it didn't leave a line - it created more of an ombre effect. I left the hose in there for quite some time though. Most fabrics will create this ombre look if you leave them in for long periods of time.

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  2. Do you think it'd work the other way around - starting with opaque black hose and bleaching?...x

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