Over Dyeing a Thrift Store Quilt with Rit Dye

 A couple years ago I found this sweet quilt at the thrift store for a few dollars.

It has been washed and worn so it is soft and just the right weight for summer.

I love the white color but am not a fan of peach.

I apologize to anyone who loves peach.

You may want to stop reading now, before it it too late.

I have been wanting to overdye it....Blue.

So I washed it, dried it and hung it here to take pictures for you.

Then I took this in and threw it in the washer and turned it on rinse to wet it.

I did a cold water dye bath right in the washer.

I chose cold water and the correct water level.  

Once the washer filled to that level, I added a cup of salt since the quilt is cotton.

Then I added one box of Royal Blue RIT powder dye.

I wanted a very pale blue.  

For a darker blue, I could add another box of dye.

I let the machine agitate for a few minutes to insure dye water was swished in everywhere.

Then I lifted the lid to stop the cycle and let it sit about 20 minutes.

I let it agitate again for a minute or two.

  I used an old butter knife to poke all the fabric down into the water when it was done agitating.

Then I let it sit another 30 minutes or so.

Then I closed the lid and let it finish agitating and rinsing.

I ran it through the washer with a little soap 2 times to remove all the extra dye.

I wanted a pale blue.

And I wanted to be sure there was no more dye anywhere in the washing machine.

Then I hung it on the clothesline to dry.

I love how it turned out.

The color is exactly what I hoped for.

It was easy peasy.

I think this would work great on a blanket with stains too.

  You could just over dye it a darker color.

Keep in mind when over dying that it will follow basic color mixing rules. 

This worked out since the quilt was white. 

 I tried it with a yellow blouse too and got a green I did not like.

The hardest part now is deciding where to use it.

Maybe in the back porch on my reading chair.

Maybe on the swing out front....

Thanks for stopping by...

Linking up with these great blogs.

Some Favorite Pieces from the Pages of Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine

On newsstands now is the Spring 2015 issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry.

I am so pleased to have some of my favorite pieces in the magazine.

This piece can be worn as a necklace or a wrap bracelet.

The beads are hand crafted, as are the clasps and loops.

The silk strips are repurposed from silk blouses and then overdyed.

I love the verigated color of the silk.

This bracelet is one of my all-time favorites to wear.

The silk is wrapped around and between the beads and adds a very bohemian gypsy vibe to the piece.

I love the muted color palette in this bracelet.

It goes with almost every outfit I put on.

The bird bead adds a touch of whimsy to the bracelet.

The very last piece from the article, actually was gifted to a very dear friend so I cannot show it to you now.

Thanks for stopping by....

Dyeing Silk Strips....

I love using silk strips in my work.

Silk is crazy expensive...

So I buy silk clothes at the thrift shop and tear them into strips.

I have a large variety of colors and textures.

  But I wanted to play around and see how I could make them more me...

Enter RIT Dye!

I used the Orange Color Perfect kit with the sprayer.

I sprayed the silk on a plastic tray.

Once it dried a bit, I turned it and sprayed it some more.

I just kept doing that until it was mostly sprayed. 

 I did not want all over color.

Now the hard part...

Patience..

Waiting for it to dry...

I wanted to try some of my homemade alcohol ink too.

Same method...

Spray...turn and spray some more...

This looks a little lighter than the Color Perfect.

This where I forgot to take pictures...

Once dry, I rinsed the silk under cold water til it ran clear.

  Then I squeezed it out very well in a big ball and let it dry.

I have been trying for awhile to get that crinkly texture to my silk strips.

This finally did it...

Here are some finished pieces I used them in...

I am planning another post on these necklaces...

I adore the way they turned out...

I get the same joy I did from the other etched bullet casing necklace I showed you.

These little vials are capped with shotgun shells....

Really!

How cool is that?

If you want to make your own, pick up the Autumn issue of Belle Armoire magazine for complete instructions...

on newsstands now...

That is just the beginning of what these dyed strips can become.

I highly recommend giving it a try yourself...

I will swap one of these necklaces over at Swap and Tell  at Tarnished Royalty.

Thanks for stopping by...

Linking up with these amazing blogs...