I am moving more towards upcycing, repairing, and redoing my clothing, and the latest tool I can use to do this is dyeing. I recently purchased the sleeveless top pictured here from Value Village but felt the original pink colour didn’t suit me. I decided to try dyeing it red to make it more suitable, and also to see what could happen. The results are good, and I love this new shirt. The embroidered pattern details didn’t take the dye, but they look terrific against the red.
On the same evening I put a faded pair of capri jeans through a blue dye bath. I recently did a sashiko stitch repair to one of the legs, which is what led to wanting to improve the colour as well. I’ve had these pants for years, and held onto them hoping I could wear them again because they were once a favourite pair. They are back in rotation in my wardrobe after years of neglect.
I shot the video as I was working on the red dye bath. It needs constant agitation to make sure the entire piece of clothing dyes evenly. I found it mesmerizing to watch the garments swirl around the red water, and decided to share it.