Lets take it to the next level

March 9th, 2010 → 10:01 am @ Maria

28


Basic grey leggings: boring, boring, boring!

Basic grey leggings: boring, boring, boring!

A few months ago I purchased these light grey leggings from Urban Outfitters. I love the thickness of the material, but I’ve always felt like they were an awkward color to pair pieces with. I guess in general I’m just getting bored with solid colored leggings (besides black, those are classics mmmk). After eyeing a pair of purple acid wash ones in the store, I decided to take the plunge and try a similar bleaching effect on my own. I think they turned out amazingly, so today I want to show you how to do it yourself!

Bleaching is a great way to transform your clothes – not only can you bleach different patterns into the material, but you can also bleach out color and dye it to create a whole new look. Talk about renewable resources eh, eh?!

What you will need:

Bleach project supplies

  • Laundry bleach
  • Water
  • A bucket
  • A sponge
  • Gloves
  • An area like the inside of a tub where you can bleach without worrying about damage

Step 1: Start by drying out your tub to make sure no moisture is left – this may cause your bleach to bleed and ruin any particular pattern you are going for.

Step 2: Mix in roughly 3 tablespoons of bleach with a quart of water in your bucket (use more bleach on really dark garments to achieve a whiter color). Mix well.

Step 3: Lay your garment flat in the tub. With gloved hands, take your sponge and soak it into the bleach/water mixture. Dab your sponge in whatever pattern you like on the front side of your garment. Make sure to do this in a well ventilated space!

Make sure your sponge is thoroughly soaked through for consistency

Thoroughly soak your sponge through for consistency

Note: If you are going for a precise pattern, make sure to lay some sort of plastic or cardboard between the cloth so that your bleach does not bleed through.

I went for a sporadic pattern to give it an acid wash effect

I went for a sporadic pattern to give it an acid wash effect

Step 4: Flip your garment over and repeat step 3.

Step 5: Let your garment sit for about an hour. Don’t expect your bleach marks to necessarily be white – it will most likely change to a lighter shade of the dye or a yellowish color for really dark pieces. The longer you let it sit and the stronger solution you use, the whiter it will become.

The bleaching takes effect quickly! This is just a few minutes in.

The bleaching takes effect quickly! This is just a few minutes in.

Step 6: Rinse with cold water.

Step 7: Wash it in your washing machine. Do not combine it with any other garments except ones that you don’t care if they get a little bleached. (PS – never mix chlorine and vinegar, this causes a toxic reaction!)

Voila, you are done! Cut your sponge into different shapes to make patterns or use a bleaching pen to draw onto the fabric. If you want to bleach the whole garment to either lighten it or to dye it another color, fill your tub with about 2 cups bleach and fill with water until it’s just covering the garment. Play around with the strength of the bleach, it can really depend on each individual piece. Enjoy!

Much more rocker chic, I'm loving these leggings!

Much more interesting, I'm loving these leggings!

Have you done any bleaching projects? Now that you know how to, what kind of projects do you want to undertake? Let me know!

~Maria

Random Posts