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Purple Skies: Crumple Tie-Dye Tutorial

One Dress, Three Ways!
A Patriotic Pinup Dress Refashion

Let me just take a moment to say the weather in Columbia SC is absolutely perfect lately, and you really should just be here.  It’s in that lovely perfect warm-but-not-too-warm place that probably won’t last very long.

I had just the thing to wear for the evening, but it was a little meh as-is!

Nothing a little faux tie-dye can’t fix!

Refashionista Faux Tie-Dye Tutorial Before
It’s…a thing.

You’re looking at an early 90’s beach cover-upish thing!  Can you guess what my first step was to transform this one?

Box of rit dye
You probably guessed correctly.

I grabbed a pitcher and a box of black powdered dye.  

Bit by bit, I folded my new frock into the pitcher, sprinkling the dye on it as I went.

A little here...
A little here…
adding powdered dye to pitcher
…a little more there!

After my dress was totally folded up into the pitcher, I filled it with hot water.

Just fill it up!
Just fill it up!

I let it sit for about an hour, then rinsed it in my washing machine.  

Just like that, my tie-dye look was complete!

But I still had a bit more work to do!

chopping off top of dress
First a chop!
pinning top of dress
Then some pinnage!
stitching top hem
Then some stitchery!

I made sure to leave enough of a gap to thread elastic through its new casing.

roll of elastic
I bought it in bulk!
threading elastic through casing
Just thread it through, then stitch that last little bit down!

After throwing on an obi belt, my funkily-dyed dress was ready to meet a good friend for dinner!  ðŸ™‚

I love how it took on a purple hue!  :)
I love how it took on a purple hue! 🙂
Jillian and Erin at restaurant
Hi Erin!

My meal consisted entirely of cheese.

Whatever.  I'm not ashamed!
Whatever. I’m not ashamed!

I must say, I dig my funky summery frock, and can’t wait to wear it to the beach sometime soon!  ðŸ™‚

Jillian in tie dye dress
I think I’m due for another vacation, right?

Cheers!

Refashionista Faux Tie-Dye Tutorial Before and After
One Dress, Three Ways!
A Patriotic Pinup Dress Refashion