How to DIY (Dye-It-Yourself) triple tone striped shoes

Have you ever tried dyeing anything ??Well, this is my first time experience..So, I would say this post as sharing my first dyeing experience rather than a usual DIY tutorials.I got a pair of white shoes last winter knowing 100%  that I will some do something with that during summer.And now as summer has arrived full time ,took those white shoes to show my creative skills. .Now let us start the process of dyeing.

Materials Required:

Plain white shoes

Two colours of dye powder/liquid (Any brand of your choice) - I chose Rit dye -Teal and cherry Red.

Plastic /stainless steel container

Warm water

1 cup salt

Gloves

Foam brush

Small piece of white fabric to test.

Black fabric paint(Optional)

Masking tape(Optional)

There are many ways to dye a material and the dyeing process also differs according to the type of material used.So,I would recommend you to read the instructions at the back of the package before you dye.I used Dip dye method as I wanted to use 2 colours in same shoe.

Step 1: I used masking tape to cover the rubber part of the shoe.But I felt this as unnecessary step when I immersed the shoe into the dye bath.The tape came off and was causing disturbance, so I removed everything :P.So,I leave it you.This step is totally optional.(Are you thinking whether the rubber part may also get dye on it ??Of course ,the first thing is it also gets some dye but it washes off .Next,even though if there is some residual dye ,it not much noticeable.)

Step 2:Fill half of the container with warm water and 2 tablespoons of salt.(Mix well and add small amount of dye in the starting stage, mix well again.Now, take the sample piece and dip it inside the dye bath.Take out to check whether the colour is okay for you.If you feel it is lighter ,then you can add more dye.I felt the colour is okay for me , so I immersed the first half of the shoe inside the dye bath and left it there for about 15 minutes.(Before this step ,just wet your shoes in the normal water)

Can you see the tape coming off ?? 

This is the result after 15 mintues.

The container I used had a large base, so the shoes kept slipping inside the bath.(Tried to clip on ,but couldn't).If you want to avoid this , take a container which has a narrow bottom so that when you want to dye half portion of the shoe, it will be perfect.After the first trial of dyeing I added more dye and dyed the front portion a little dark and leaving it inside the bath for another 15 mintues.(I kept some stones inside the shoes to make it stand !!But then, I was checking it for every 5 mintues)

Step 3: As I was thinking a bit to use the same container for other side, this time I followed a different method .Prepared the dye bath and used a foam brush to dye.(Because I don't want the red colour to mix with teal colour).Dip the brush in dye bath and paint as you would do with normal paint.The more coating you give darker the colour.I did a little blending of colours in the middle part of the shoe.Result of which ended in some violet shades.(Ha!!Some colour theories are working here :))Yep!!I liked it.If you don't want to end up something you did not dream about, it is better to do a test sample and then try on the original one. 

If you want to dye the lace , do the same procedure.But keep it mind that the dye smears little above the area you expect the material to be dyed.(Again!!Some chemistry and capillary actions :)). I dyed it in half red and half teal colour :) but it ended in lighter shades of blue and pink as I did not wait for long time.If you want a darker shades of teal and red ,immerse it in the dye bath for longer time.

Step 4:Rinse it in warm water, then in cool water until water runs clear.(Warm water helps to rinse the residual dye in the surface effectively).Wash it in such a way the lighter portion of the material dyed should be up.When doing it for the double colour project do this step for first half separately and then the other half so that the colours won't mix up.

Step 5: Let it dry completely.Voila !!!You are now ready to wear your beautifully dyed triple tone shoes.

To take it to the next level, I added black stripes above it with fabric paint using masking tape.But it is totally a optional step.

The shoes are taking sun bath :P.Once they are completely dry ,you can wear it !!

I totally forgot to tell you about wearing gloves.Do wear gloves while experimenting this project.Or I am pretty sure your hands will turn into a huge mess.(Ya!!Experienced!!)At one time ,I got excited and put my hands into the dye bath without gloves and ended with teal fingers.So here is a tip !!If you are like me, use tooth paste or baking soda and rub it in your fingers to remove the dye and wash your hands.If you want more tips on this click the wiki link here.

Hope this post makes you also to try your hands on dyeing.Believe me it is fun to play with colours!! Feel free to share your comments below.What do you feel about this triple tone striped shoes??