If you can’t find tights in the color of your choice, why not make your own tights? You can easily change the colors of your tights with various kinds of fabric dyes. The best part is you can even give your tights a unique pattern simply by wrapping them with rubber bands at different places before exposing them to the dye. This technique can give a tie-dyed look that offers a sassy touch to your attire. It is better to dye a pair of white tights or nude-colored tights. It is easier and gives better results. So let’s look into the simple process of making green tights.
How to dye tights green with fabric dye?
YOU NEED:
- Large pot
- Water
- Two 5 gallon buckets
- All-purpose or green fabric dye
- Two smooth sticks which will not affect the tights
- Cotton white tights
- Coldwater
- Warm water
- Rubber gloves
- Detergent
- Old towel
- Clothesline or rack
STEPS
Step 1: Take the large pot and fill it with water till the brim. For safety sake, leave three inches from the top of the pot. Place the pot over the stove at the medium-high flame and wait till the water boils.
Step 2: Transfer the boiled water into a big bucket. Be very careful when you transfer the water. Add the all-purpose or green fabric dye to the water. Mix it according to the ratio specified on the package. Stir the dye in the water and make sure it is thoroughly mixed without any leftovers. You can use a stick to mix it.
Step 3: Wet the tights in cold water first. Then place it in the dye solution and use the stick to submerge it in the water. Do not use hands. Slowly stir the tights in the dye solution every five minutes for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Depending on the darkness or the shade of green you want, you can manage the time. Keep it for 15 minutes for a lighter shade and 30 – 45 minutes for a darker shade. Stirring the tights every five minutes will make sure the tights are dyed evenly throughout.
Step 5: Take the tights out and place them in clean, warm water. Stir it thoroughly to remove excess dye and let the dye set in. use gloves to avoid staining and pick the tights out of the bucket. Wash it with detergent.
Step 6: Use an old towel and place it over the clothesline or rack to protect from dye stains. Place the tights over the towel and let it dry for a few hours. Make sure you dry your tights in the shade rather than direct sunlight. Too much sun can fade the color.
Step 7: After it dries, iron the tights slowly. The heat will help to set the green color for a really long time. Well, your green-dyed tights are ready to use.
Tip: for the tie-dyed look, tie rubber bands tights over the tights. You can either use tight thread or bands all over the tights. You will have to tie it before washing it in cold water and placing it in the dye solution. Make sure you remove only after washing the excess dye.
Warning: it is essential to ensure the tights are thoroughly washed and dried before you try them on. There are many cases where the dye can react badly with your skin. So wash them twice if you have sensitive skin and iron them before you use them.
How to make designs on green tights at home?
Sometimes you might have green tights, but they might not have the look or the savviness. Maybe some designs or patterns will help you? Maybe add a few beads or embellishments for your tights. Let’s look into ways you can make your simple green tights into eye-catchy party wear!
YOU NEED:
- Green tights
- beads, or any embellishments you prefer,
- white-colored string,
- household bleach,
- needle,
- unused toothbrush,
- sponge,
- rubber gloves,
- bathtub.
STEPS
Step 1: Fill the tub with cold water and wet the green tights thoroughly. Wring out the water. If you are specific about the design, make markings on it with white chalk after wringing out the water.
Step 2: Wear rubber gloves and use a toothbrush or paintbrush to apply bleach onto the tights. Be very careful in sprinkling the bleach. Make sure it does not fall on your skin. You can use the toothbrush to make small circles or give a rough look. Be creative and work on your designs.
Step 3: Leave the tight aside for two hours approx. Check frequently but do not disturb the fabric. If you want two different designs on the front and backside of the tights, try placing a plastic sheet between the legs before bleaching.
Step 4: Once it is bleached as you desired, first wash them softly in running water. Let it rinse thoroughly. Throw the tights into the washing machine for a quick spin and tumble dry. Once it is dried, you can check out the new designs.
Step 5: Iron it for stiffness. Now you can either put the tights over a mannequin or wear them to add your embellishments.
Step 6: Use tiny beads or articles and sew them slowly over the bleached surfaces or other places. It is more preferably you iron out any creases before you start adding your accessories. Use light add ons, so it does not pull down the thread or wreck the bleached area.
Step 7: Remember to thread the embellishment in alternate directions to avoid a strong pull-down. Once the tights are sewed with amaze beads, you can iron the tights inside, and it is ready to be worn.
In case you want to add different colors
Step 1: after you bleach the tights, add your desired fabric dye to that place. Make sure you place a plastic sheet in between your tights’ legs. You can add various fabric dyes and make your green tights look very colorful.
Step 2: Once it is applied, leave it to dry for two hours. And then wash it thoroughly and iron the tights. Unfortunately, you will not be able to get detailed designs, but they give out a stylish finish.
Tip: make sure you thread only light beads as the bleached areas are weakened with strong bleach. They can easily snap if the beads pull them down.
Warning: use green cotton tights, and for synthetic, you cannot bleach to great extents. You will wreck the fabric. Make sure you check a small patch of the tights before you apply it for the rest of it.
How to dye tights green with food color?
Dying tights with food color is the most inexpensive and easiest way possible. It is a fun activity, and in some places, it is done with families for Christmas where all the clothes are dyed green, red, and gold. You will not require much preparation, just some space and old towels. You can also mix your colors and make your green tights colorful. Let us look into the steps.
YOU NEED:
- Wool tights ( for best results)
- Green food color
- White vinegar
- Large bowl
- Water
STEPS
Step 1: Choose woolen tights to dye. Protein fibers like wool, cashmere, and silk will hold the dye for the longest. Even though cotton fabric can contain dyes, they fade faster due to color bleeding. You will have to re-dye them frequently to maintain the shade.
Step 2: Take a plastic bowl, white vinegar, and green food color. First, take the bowl and add a 1:1 ratio of water and vinegar to it. Place the wool tights into the bowl. Make sure it is submerged completely. If you are not sure how much quantity is required, you can place the tights first and add both water and vinegar. Let the cloth soak for 45 minutes. This presoak helps to accept dye faster and set the color.
Step 3: Take the tights out and wring them gently. Then place the tights into another empty bowl. Add 950 ml of water and make sure the tights are submerged properly. Then add 10 to 15 drops of green food color. You can decide the shade and add the food color according to the shade requirement. Start with a few drops, and then add more till your desired color.
Step 4: Let them soak in the dye solution for 30 minutes, and you will notice the water becomes lighter. That indicates that the food color is absorbed by the tights. After 30 minutes, take the tights out and wring them gently.
Step 5: Let it dry for some time and then place it in a resealable bag for 8 hours. Let it be left undisturbed and for comfort, let it rest overnight. Then take it out, wash it in cold running water and dry it. Your food-colored tights are ready to be worn!
Can you dye tights naturally?
Well, the answer to that is yes! You can dye fabrics with natural dyes. Anything light-colored or simple white tights can easily be dyed green at home. You can also make your own natural green dye for your tights.
- Natural green dye
Nature is flooded with green, so that means it gives you many options to pick your dye from. The best option would be green lettuce. Green lettuce has a wide range of hues of greens among its leaves. You can experiment with whichever shade of green you like and try it out with tin, vinegar, or blue vitriol. They react differently to the setter. Even iron-rich plants like Spinach give an excellent shade of green. If you cannot find lettuce or Spinach, you can pick from chard, purslane, dandelion greens, or sorrel.
- Natural green dye for your tights
YOU NEED:
- Cooking pot
- Measuring cup
- Knife, sieve
- Spinach
- Baking soda
- 4 ounces of spinach (depending on your tights)
- Cotton tights
- Alum mordant
STEPS
Step 1: Take the Spinach in a bowl, wash it thoroughly under the running water. Just wipe them lightly and start cutting them finely. Make sure to cut in even size.
Step 2: Place the evenly chopped Spinach in a storage box and store it in the freezer for three days. If you do not have much time, you can easily set the freezer to the extreme and freeze it for 5 hours.
Step 3: Take the frozen Spinach into a boiling pot. Add 4 cups of water for 4 ounces of Spinach. You can adjust the measurements according to your spinach quantity.
Step 4: Add half a teaspoon of baking soda to the water. Mix it thoroughly and then set it on the stove. Set the timer for 1 hour. And make sure the entire solution is turned green.
Step 5: Keep it aside and let it cool down. Take a sieve and filter it thoroughly. Now pour into a glass jar and store it in the fridge.
Step 6: Take your tights and soak them in the alum mordant for three hours. After that, wash it in warm water and let it dry in the shade. Once the alum mordant is soaked in, the tights can take in a more significant amount of green dye. You can easily find alum mordant at stores.
Step 7: Make sure you have enough spinach dye to soak the entire tights into it. Take the cotton tights and place them in a huge bowl. Then add the spinach dye and let the solution boil. Keep it aside and let it cool down. For a darker shade, Keep it overnight. Stir it up sometimes in the middle.
Well, your natural green-dyed tights are ready. For extra effects, you can iron them after drying. When it comes to naturally dyed fabrics, you must remember to launder them separately in cold water.
How to dye your tights green with kool-aid?
Kool-aid is not just to boost your vitamins, but it is perfect to dye your tights! Yes, you heard it right. Let’s see how you can dye your tights with it!
YOU NEED:
- Cotton tights
- Kool-aid
- Boiling pot
- A spoon
- Water
STEPS
Step 1: Fill your pot with water. Make sure your pot is big enough for the tights to float comfortably. Put it on medium flame and let it boil.
Step 2: Grab green apple kool-aid and put it in the boiling water. Add two of them just in case. Let the water cool down a bit before you toss the tights into it.
Step 3: Stir the tips continuously in the bowl and let them mix thoroughly. Switch on the stove and let it go on in the simmer. You will have to stir in regular intervals.
Step 4: It will take 30 minutes minimum. Keep stirring till you reach the desired shade of green. Once they get the shade, take it out and run it under cold water. \
Step 5: Use mild soap to wash them. But remember never use warm water to clean them. Always use cold water.
Well, dry them and wear them wherever you want. Unfortunately, this is a temporary solution. Frequent washes will eventually clean off the kool-aid. But it is the fastest way to get a pair of green tights to win the day.
Do’s and don’ts while dying tights at home
Natural fibers like cotton, silk, wool, and linen take dye much better than other synthetic materials. It is a fun activity, and it is better you experiment first and then try it on your tights.
You will have to remember that you can dye a fabric darker, bolder, or more saturated, but it cannot go lighter. So if you want light green tights, for best results, go for white tights to dye. You can never reduce the tone of dying.
Dying uniformly can be more difficult than getting random patterns and designs. If your dying turns out to be splotchy, do not worry. You will have to overdye it again and get consistent results. The larger the tights are, the more difficult it is going to be to dye. So it is better if you dye one tight green at a time.
It is essential that you always test your dye on a small sample patch before you color the rest. Always look for specific dyes that are used for specified fabric materials.
DOs
- Use a bigger container.
- Confirm the dye quality with a sample piece first.
- Wear old clothes and rubber gloves to avoid dye stains.
- Note the time always.
- You can always add more dye for the darker look but won’t reduce the shade.
- Use a measuring cup.
- Avoid using strong bleaches and detergents.
- Keep warm and cold water ready for the process.
DON’Ts
- Don’t forget to wet the tights before dying.
- Don’t forget to check for the time.
- Mixing wrong measurements can ruin the fabric.
- Don’t skip vinegar or salt for setting the dye.
- Dye one single fabric at a time.
- Don’t overcrowd the dye bath.
- Don’t hesitate to mix colors.
Final thoughts
You don’t always find the right shade of green tights to match your dress. To help you out, the best way to make the perfect shade is by dying them. You have many options of dying a pair of tights with food color, natural dye, and fabric dyes. With simple steps, you have the right shade. You can even try other colors too!
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