How to Dip Dye Shorts (DIY)

Dip dyed shorts sold at stores outside are especially expensive (I used to eye on Topshop's cos they're so pretty but I already have a mountain of unworn shorts) Although still not comparable to their higher quality dying techniques, do-it-yourselves always have a unique touch to it.. so why not give it a try? I was aiming for it to have a blue-purple-pink gradient.

This is how it turned out in the end. While it's still drying.

Ready for wearing. 

It's easy to get fabric dye. I got one from the CraftWorld shop in One Utama. You could probably get it in any shop that sells paint. (Got mine at RM 11.90)

They give you instructions on the packet as well, for a whole piece dye.

Step 1 : Prepare your stuff. The two pants I wanna dye and gloves (which actually is completely useless but just in case)

Around 5 tablespoons of salt. And get your hot water ready. For me I used a small pail which has an opening just nice to insert my shorts which is folded into half. Fill around a quarter of the pail with water. I put around 3 parts hot water to 1 part tap water but I think it's totally negligible as long as it's warm.

Step 2 : Pour the fabric dye in. Look at the beautiful pattern when it dissolves

Step 3 : Stir it. I used a stick which my mom usually uses for clothes when bleach is involved.

Don't sacrifice your skin for this, it's difficult to get it off once it stains.

Step 4 : Wet/dampen the shorts. If you don't, the dip dye horizon will turn out to be a very distinct one. Wetting it will enable the color to be absorbed upwards to create a gradient. 

Step 5 : Dip it in! To create a light-to-deep effect, I dipped till a little above the pocket level then quickly lifted around an inch, counted to 10, then lift another inch, count to 10 and so on. At the bottom, where I want it to be the brightest, left it there for around 15 minutes.

Check once in a while.

Step 6 : Rinse in normal temperature tap water, then rinse with hot/warm water for 3 times. Since it's the first "wash", NOT necessary to wash till the water doesn't turn pink anymore. 

Step 7 : Leave it to dry in normal temperature.

After trying it once, washed it another time to see whether the color fades easily. And it doesn't! It stayed the way I want it to. (didn't even stain the other clothes)  Voila! 

Your very own pretty dip dyed shorts.