DIY Mint Jeans

Monday, June 4, 2012

DIY Mint Jeans

I have fallen victim to the "Mint Jean" craze but not the price tag that goes along with most of these jeans (well the ones I can find instock).

Photo from: Small Shop Studio

I figured by the time I found some in the price range I was looking for (under $50), the fad would be long gone! So, like any DIY blogger... I decided to make my own for half of what I set out to find!

Here is how I accomplished my budget-friendly-fad....

Supplies:

1/2 teaspoon Rit Dye - Kelly Green

1/8 teaspoon Rit Dye - Teal

1 cup of water (to pre mix color)

Salt

White Jeans

Washer and Dryer

Laundry Soap

I found the color I was going for on the ColorRit Color Formula Guide:

I went with Green 1 #234

For best results, make sure to follows the directions that are written for your machine. These are the directions that I followed for my machine.

First, take your white jeans, shirt, cloth...whatever you are coloring here and prewash it in warm water. I had to capture the price at which I bought these for... yep, that says $14.99! They are the "Seven" brand and we're originally $78!

Midway through the "spin" cycle, stop the machine and pulled the jeans out. You want them to be wet, not damp. If they are damp, the dye might be uneven.

Second, take 1/4 of a teaspoon of Kelly Green and 1/8 of a teaspoon of teal. Mix them in a glass measuring cup with a cup of water.

Measure out the correct amount of salt according to your specific machine's directions.

Fill your washing machine with enough hot water to easily cover the garments.

Add the dye mixture and salt.

Agitate for a minimum of 30 seconds (I always do closer to 2 minutes!).

Add your WET garment to the mint green water and set your machine to the longest wash setting possible. BEFORE your machine begins to drain and rinse, reset it to agitate for a second (or even third) time. You want the garment to be in the dye for a minimum of 30 minutes.