How to Dye an Evening Dress

Dyeing an evening dress is an economical and simple task. Fabric dye works best on clothing that is made of cotton, but it can also be used to dye other types of fabrics, such as the fabric of most evening dresses. Follow the guidelines below to get an understanding of the basic fabric dyeing steps, and make your evening dress a hit. Be sure that any pots, tubs, or tongs that you use are not re-used for any other purposes, as the chemical from fabric dye will leave a residue on the materials that could contaminate food.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• White or off-white evening dress (washable, not dry clean only)
• Fabric dye such as Rit
• Large cooking pot or a plastic tub (for dyeing purposes only)
• Sink with running water
• Stove
• Tongs (for dyeing purposes only)
• Waterproof table covering
• Plastic gloves (for dyeing purposes only)
• Apron

1. Start with a dress that is white, off white, or beige, which are the easiest colors to dye. Cotton is the easiest fabric to dye, so the more cotton in the fabric, the better.

2. Purchase fabric dye from a craft supply store or an online retailer. Some large department type stores (big box stores) carry fabric dye, however for the best variety and selection a craft store is best.

3. Choose a work area that has a flat surface and cover this area with a waterproof tablecloth to protect it.

4. Place a large plastic tub or a cooking pot on a flat surface. Fill the plastic tub with very warm water, or simply heat up the pot on a stove until the water is very warm. Protect your clothing and skin with an apron and gloves. Stir in the fabric dye, making sure it has dissolved completely.

5. Place the evening dress in the tub or pot, and let it absorb the fabric dye. Stir the dress a bit to make sure it soaks up a lot of color. Check the color of the dress every 2 or 3 minutes until the fabric is the color you desire.

6. Remove the dress from the dye and rinse it under a running faucet. Cold water works best only if the dress is the color you desire. Rinse the evening dress under very warm water if the color intensity needs to be reduced. If needed, repeat the dyeing process to obtain the desired dress color.

7. Dry the dress by laying it flat on the waterproof table liner, or by hanging it up in a shower to dry. Rinse out and clean up all materials. Place everything in a location where the instruments will not be mistakenly used for food preparation or cooking.

Tips & Warnings

• Dye your shoes, handbag, or other accessories with any leftover dye to match your evening dress.

• Store fabric dye and materials in a safe place which is inaccessible to children and pets.

Resources

• Rit Fabric Dye
• Michael's Crafts