Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Sunkissed DIY: Tie Dye Shorts

Well, 4th of July has come and gone, but I made some really fun
shorts for Independence Day that are suuuuper easy to make!




I obviously used the red, white & blue color scheme, but you can pick
whatever colors you want!

First I went to the Goodwill to find some shorts
that I could cut up and use. 
I like the lighter colored denim or even white,
because it makes the colors pop more.

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jean shorts, high waisted shorts, goodwill finds, diy, tie dye, 4th of july shorts

Only $4 for these old Wrangler shorts!


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jean shorts, high waisted shorts, goodwill finds, diy, tie dye, 4th of july shorts
After you've cut the shorts to your desired length, take some rubber bands and 
just tie up random spots all over the 
front and back of the shorts.  


I ran my shorts under some water first, 
because the dye spreads easier
and more smoothly on damp material.

I got this s.e.i. tumble dye from Michael's
but most places with art and craft supplies should have it.
It's a lot easier than your regular tie dye products, 
because you just spray it on!
So you can make it as dark or light as you want.

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Make sure the surface you're using is covered in newspaper, 
or old Victoria's Secret catalogs..
(we have about a million in our apartment, so I figured I'd put them to good use.)
Because you're spraying this, it gets everywhere;
don't let it get on your clothes!

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So, now that you have your shorts a little damp and all banded up, start spraying!

I was obviously going for the patriotic look, so I just sprayed the red all across the top, left the middle alone, 
and sprayed blue all along the bottom.

I would hold the bottle about 6 to 8 inches 
away from the shorts, or else it will look blotchy and thick. 
I sprayed a little extra on the spots where the rubberbands were, 
because that's where you gonna get
the cool designs. 

So, do the front and back and 
don't forget the sides! 
Then let them sit for a couple minutes.




Go ahead and take out the rubberbands and
 admire your marvelous work (that only took 10 minutes)!!

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Let them air dry until they are completely dry. 

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After you air dry them, throw them in the dryer for about 20 minutes.
This also helps with distressing the hem line more, 
if you happened to cut the shorts you're using. 


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Voila! 
You've got yourself a pair of radical shorts 
that you can brag about,
because you made them yourself! 

jean shorts, high waisted shorts, goodwill finds, diy, tie dye, 4th of july shorts

Throw on a simple tee or tank, that way your shorts are the highlight of your outfit, 
and you're ready for a fun summertime bbq!


Until next time, keep dreaming. xoxo