I realize it’s been awhile since my last post. The end of the school year was so hectic and then all of the sudden I had nothing to do. Who doesn’t love a relaxing, lazy summer? But let’s be serious, I can only remain unproductive for so long. My latest project was so simple and turned out so well, I couldn’t resist but to share! One of this summer’s biggest trends is dip-dyed shorts and other DIY denim. This project doesn’t require much planning, but you will need some time and patience. Trust me, it’s worth it! I looked up a few different techniques to come up with the best approach for bleaching denim. So find those old shorts or that beat up denim shirt and get bleaching! Here's what you'll need:
- 2 Buckets
- Bleach
- White vinegar
- Plastic gloves
- A hose
- Rubber bands (optional)
- Spray bottle (optional)
- Outdoor space (I just used my driveway)
Fill one bucket with water and bleach and the other with water and vinegar. There should be twice as much water as bleach/vinegar in both mixtures. I used scrap pieces from the bottoms the shorts that I trimmed to experiment with different techniques and patterns. Don’t be afraid to create your own look! The possibilities are nearly endless! To get the tie-dyed look, twist shorts into random spirals and secure with rubber bands. Soak the shorts in the bleach mixture for 30 minutes. Check the shorts a few times to be sure you are achieving the look you desire. You may need to remove the shorts (or what ever you are bleaching) sooner or let them soak longer. When you remove the shorts from the bleach solution, rinse them off with the hose and then place them in the vinegar mixture for 10-15 minutes. I recommend wearing plastic gloves when working with the chemicals. After removing the shorts from the vinegar solution, rinse them off with the hose and then take off the rubber bands to reveal your perfectly bleached creation!
While the shorts were soaking in the bleach, I started working on my denim shirt! To get a distressed look I wet the shirt using a hose and sprayed the shirt using a spray bottle filled with bleach. Spray the areas you want to look more distressed and let it soak in for 20-25 minutes. After removing the shorts, I added a little more bleach to the solution since some of the bleach soaked into the shorts. To create an ombre effect on the shirt, I left about 5 inches of the shirt out of the bleach mixture. I divided the rest of the shirt into thirds and removed one third of the shirt every ten minutes. After the shirt soaking for a total of 30 minutes, remove the shirt from the bleach solution and repeat the process of rinsing and soaking that was done with the shorts. Be sure to wash whatever you create before wearing (No worries, it’s safe to put in the washing machine)! Good luck!
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