Thursday, May 31, 2012

Pink Skinny Jeans {a re-fashion}

Are you loving pastel skinny jeans as much as I am?


I've been seeing them everywhere and I just had to have a pair!  


I had this pair of dark jeans that someone gave me.  I love dark jeans too, but these were a freebie so I figured "what the heck".  They had a little flare, so I started by taking in the legs with my serger.
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Then I bleached them.  THREE different times.  I wasn't sure how much bleach to use so it took me a few times.  I ended up using about 3 cups of bleach for 3-4 gallons of water.  The key is to have a big enough tub for the jeans to move freely.  


*UPDATE:  I used a plastic rubbermaid tub.  Not a bath tub.  Sorry for the confusion.  :(   Also, I rinsed them in warm water before I put them in the bleach.  After each time I bleached them I washed them and started over.  They were super spotty after the first bleach.    Kinda spotty after the second bleach, and go to go after the third.  You just have to keep checking on the jeans.  

All jeans are not created equal.  Some are crappy and will fall apart when you put them in a ton of bleach.  Beware of this.  

Can someone please tell me why thread doesn't take bleach?  I'm baffled...baffled I tell you.  This bothered me at first, but it didn't take away from the cuteness.
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Next, I used Rit dye in Rose pink to dye the bleached jeans.  I used the power form.  I just followed the directions and stirred them around for about 20 minutes until I got the color that I wanted. 
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I love how they turned out!  I just might have to try it with another color.  Hmm...yellow maybe?
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What do you think?
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I like to link up to THESE parties!


*Update #2 I've posted a more in depth tutorial on bleaching and dying jeans.  Click HERE to check it out.

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Posted by at 9:50 AM
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241 comments:

  1. This is a great way to keep perfectly good jeans out of the landfills. Very smart and thrifty. Had to share. new follower from a glimpse

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  3. PS, I'm going to share it on my Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/AquaSeventy6

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  6. love them! how did you take in the flare??

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    1. I also want to know how they took in the flare..

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    2. you sew the inside of pant leg along the seam, as skinny as you want them :) mark them with chalk before you sew.

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    3. Put them on inside out, pin along where you want it to fit, then take them off and see along the pins. I do this all the time to my old flares!

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    4. I've taken in flared jeans by laying another pair of skinny jeans that I like the cut of on top of the flared jeans and using that as a guide to mark my stitching.

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  7. SUPER cute!! LOVE the transformation! I have no clue why thread doesnt bleach, but I love the look it gave. Very cute and unique with dark thread and light jeans!

    ~Maria-Isabel
    www.agapelovedesigns.com

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    1. Not cotton thread, polyester is like plastic and won't absorb liquid.

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  8. Super Cute! The string for the seams is probably polyester that's why it didn't bleach. I love the way the stitching looks!

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  9. They are adorable, and so are you! The reason the stitching did not bleach out is because thread is usually made of polyester and cotton for strength, and the polyester will not bleach out. Have fun!

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  10. Um, simply freaking amazing - I was telling my BF last night how I was going to color a jacket I have and he was all like NOOOOO! Plz, you just proved my point!! love it. they look awesome.

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  11. WOW!! That is seriously amazing!! I keep wanting to try dying fabric but I'm too chicken. :-) You did great!

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  13. super cute! I think it's time for me to find some maternity jeans for CHEAP and try dying them! I so want in on this trend but maternity clothing on trend is WAY too expensive!

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    1. I Agree with you totally! I would love to see how that goes I think i'll mosey over to your blog and follow you :D

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    2. Not sure if you're still pregnant, but I found a great tutorial for DIY maternity jeans by googling around a bit. They look super simple and WAY cheaper!

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  14. Oh my goodness, they look great! This is such a great idea, I might have to give it a try!

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  15. Genius! Definitely gonna try this one :)

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  16. They look much better!! And I think the thread gives them a great look!

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  18. What??! I can't believe these started as dark flared jeans!! They look amazing now and super adorable on you! :)

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  19. Love it! ^_^
    I've been wanting to buy a pair or pink or light blue jeans, but I can totally do this myself....like tomorrow. lol!

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  20. OMG I freakin LOVE these! Your a genius! I've never even thought about bleaching and dying my jeans. I'm doing this ASAP!

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  22. What a transformation! They look great on you!

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  24. These are so cute! Thanks for linking to Things I've Done Thursday!

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  25. Those turned out great! I love the color.

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  26. I wont lie....this is super awesome!!! I cant wait to have this baby (Im due in a couple weeks) so I can revamp some of my jeans!!! Thanks for this post..it rocks! :)

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  27. The thread probably didn't change because its not dyed. Only clothing with dyes change colors.

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    1. Actually if the thread is made of cotton it will dye. The most likely reason that the thread here didn't bleach out was because it was man made, aka nylon or some such. Plastic won't dye or bleach the same way cotton and other natural fibers do. In order to dye plastic stuff like thread or acrylic yarn you have to use other methods. I think the most common dye used on acrylic yarn is Kool Aid. Kool Aid won't last on cotton, but it will with acrylic.

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    2. That's correct. It's not cotton thread.

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  28. These are to die for!! I'd love if you'd come link up at my Tutorial Tuesday Linky Party http://www.ourthriftyideas.com/2012/05/tutorial-tuesday-8.html

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  30. OMG this is awesome! I have wanted a dyed pair of jeans for forever, but I don't own any light colored jeans so I never did. Never thought to just bleach them, duh! I have a brand new link party going on and I’d be thrilled if you would share this over there so everyone can see it :-)

    http://practicallyfunctional.net/2012/05/the-fun-in-functional-link-party-1/

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  31. Wow! I am going to buy some dye tonight!

    www.thetootsiewootsie.com

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  32. Love Love Love!! I actually really like that the thread didn't bleach!

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  33. Most likely the thread did not dye due to the fact that most threads are made out of polyester and it does not take on dye that well. But thats soo much to the tutorial!!! I have been wanting to do this to a pair of thrift store jeans that I love the fit of but not the color. Thats for the tutorial!!!!

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    1. I meant thanks not thats ;)

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    2. Exactly Anonymous. Polyester thread was used. If cotton thread was used, it would have bleached.

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    3. Yep, I was going to say the same thing! Poly thread won't bleach...but I see that you've already got that answer a few times lol :)

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  34. {LOVE} your "new" pink jeans! And I actually really like the dark thread. Seems very trendy :) Thanks so much for sharing this fabulous way to update our denim for summer. I will be trying this!
    ~Nicole

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  35. These are so cute! I have a pair I want to dye a brighter color and your came out so will I may have to try it.

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  36. OMG, SO cute. And that's CRAZY about the thread! I'm going to run in and grab one of my $1 Goodwill jeans that I bought for refashioning and throw them into the washer with some bleach. Great idea.

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  37. I agree with everyone who said that the thread won't bleach because it's at least part poly. Also, it makes it even easier if you start out with white jeans. I found a stained pair of white Joe's jeans at the thrift store, bleached them clean, then dyed them yellow. They came out really well!

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  38. super cute! Going to try this!

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  39. the thread doesn't bleach because its polyester and the dye is for cotton or a mix and not strong enough for straight poly. :)

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  40. Ok Amanda you rock these! LOVE how you made them. We would also LOVE for you to stop over and share your idea in our Crafty Showcase!

    Have a super weekend,

    Susie @Bowdabra
    http://bowdabrablog.com/2012/06/02/saturday-showcase-craft-projects-4/

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  41. I have been "dyeing" to do this to a pair of jeans lol. Thanks for making it look SO easy! I will be giving this a try. Found you on Happy-Go-Lucky, new follower :)
    I'm going to pin this and link it on my fb page. Hope you are having a great weekend!

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  42. How cool! I'm sure I have a pair of jeans that are good for this...

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  43. I ATTEMPTED to dye a white shirt black once, and the thread didn't dye, nor the lace. And it turned out blue... but the fact that the thread didn't dye bothered me the most also. I don't know why! it's made from cotton!

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    1. I think that the thread doesn't change colour beccause the surface tension is to tight and there for the dye cannot penetrate...that's my opinion anyway :)

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    2. Even if the fabric item is cotton, most times polyester thread is used in commercial sewing. For one, it's cheap. Only higher quality garments will use cotton thread and even then it's usually only the outside threads, not the inside threads. I used to sew Levi's jeans many many years ago.. before the work all went to China.

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  44. These turned out absolutely ah-mazing! I would never in a million years guess that you made them! Love it! And I really like the look of the dark thread. It gives it a very nice contrasting look. I am so going to share this on my fb and twitter page :)

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  45. Wow, would never think of bleaching them. It turned out more than great!!!

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  46. they are super cute! I'm thinking mint would also work great with the blue stiches...I have so many pairs of jeans that I don't wear any more,I knew there was a reason I kept them! :))) check out my last post of DIY bracelets if you like!
    www.miouprincesslovespink.blogspot.com

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  47. lol..I love that WHY ..I was thinking the same thing..i love this idea...I was actually going to throw away my jeans but never mind..thank you:)

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  48. wow. they turned out great and I like how the thread didn't turn color!

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  49. WHATTTT! AMAZING!! These are incredible! I want to try this!

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  50. SOOOOO CUTE! I can't believe the denim will take the color either! Stopping by from the Sunday Blog Hop. Following along via GFC. Would love if you stopped by for a visit!

    http://jill-createcraftlove.blogspot.com

    Jill @ Create.Craft.Love.

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  51. I love these! I am a novice with bleach though. What kind of tub did you bleach these in? I was going to attempt to find an old wash tub this summer to use for crafting, so I was just wondering what you used to make these!

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  52. They came out so cute! like PP's said, the thread didn't dye because it's Poly or polyblend rather than cotton--that color never comes out! Still looks good with the stitching though :)

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  53. Love this can't wait to try~~~ Thanks~~~

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  54. these are adorable : ) LOVE LOVE LOVE!

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  56. I am so doing this to a pair of shorts that I own that gets water stains easily. Plus, not I know what to do with shirts that I don't like the color on.

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  57. I love this!! Great idea! I have lots of jeans I could do this to, if I could figure out that serger part ;) Thanks so much for sharing this at Bedazzle Me Monday!

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  58. WOW!! this is awesome. i love it! thanks so much for sharing this amazing post!
    {love} lauryn @ lovenotesbylauryn.blogspot.com

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  59. This is such a clever idea!

    PS: I look forward to seeing you this week at Show Me What You Got Tuesday's at ODH via: http://ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com/2012/06/live-show-me-what-you-got-linky-party.html

    Mrs. Delightful
    www.ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com

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  60. So cute! I love them! A mint green would be cute to try too. That is baffling why the thread stayed the same!

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  61. QUESTION! I love these but how did you do the bottom to make them skinny jeans??

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  62. how did you take in the flare to make them skinny?

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    1. That was exactly what I was going to say. Did anyone notice the bottom of the jeans. For some reason I don't think theyre the same jeans.

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    2. She said she used her serger...

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    3. whats a serger ?

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  64. Polyester doesn't bleach or dye because polyester is technically plastic. It is not natural, like cotton or silk thread. Polyester is colored while it is still in it's liquid form, then it is made into thread by being strained through something similar to a shower head with hundreds of tiny holes. In my opinion, I like that the thread didn't bleach, I think it adds to the uniqueness of your jeans. :)

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  65. VERY cute! i like that the stitching shows! xo

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  66. They're defiantly the same jeans. There are lots of tutorials on youtube about how to turn your regular jeans into skinnies though its pretty difficult to do a really good job on them without removing all the original stitching; particularly where your new stitch line meets the pocket and the waistline.
    As for the colour of the stitching it may be because the the thread is made from a plastic material. Plastic based fabrics/fibres are really good for stitching hard wearing clothing like denim because its so strong yet it still has some elasticity for mobility - ideal for thread. So if you're going to be sewing some tough denim you're best off to invest in some thick thread!
    Jeans look great though and I never would have thought to bleach them and then dye them, some serious make-overs are due to my wardrobe, thanks!

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  67. I love this! I am featuring it tomorrow on my Pinterest Inspired Pic of the week! I hope you don't mind!I am your newest follower! I would love it if you would link up at my Linky party on Thursday!
    Kim@madeinaday
    http://madeinaday.com

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  68. Genius!!! Now I wanna go buy an old pair of jeans at the thrift store and do this! I actually like how the thread didn't bleach...it looks kinda super rad that way! :)

    I'll be sure to follow your genius!!

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  69. ooooo i am straight off to the op shop tomorrow to find jeans with light coloured seams hehe :) thanks for the great idea!

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  70. Amazing! I never would have thought to do this. You always wow me!!

    I've pinned this!!

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  71. Are the same ones? What hapend with the legs??? The first ones look with a boot style and the pink ones look skiny style...

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  72. WOW! I can't believe you changed the before and after. They look amazing!

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  73. i love this and i am going to do this .... they r so cute

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  74. These are great!! I don't think I acould pull them off, but you look awesome in them!:) I'm your newest follower! Come follow me back! preparedensswithmegs.wordpress.com

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  75. Question: how long did you leave them in the bleach?

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  76. I would be afraid that all that bleaching would harm the fabric and would fear them falling apart as I walk down the street....?

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    1. I did this with a pair of jeans in high school and they did wear out a lot faster after all the bleach so it is something to pay attention to.

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  77. Get jeans at thrift shops. I get most of mine there for $7.00 I also rip places in mine.

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  79. Your DAughter is so stinking cute. I pray to have one in my belly VERY SOON!

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  80. I loved this idea!! genious! so I grabbed a pair of gap tall and skinny jeans and my bleach...two hours and two bottles of bleach later they are still not white! I am doing it in the bath tub so the pants can lay long. The first time I did about four inches of water and 4cups of bleach..no luck so I did the entire bottle of bleach. Still no luck. So, I drained it and started over using warm water and a different bottle of bleach in two inches of water. They are much lighter, but not even close to white. and they jeans have circles of dark spots where the jean color did not change at all. PLEASE help! what am I doing wrong?? I REALLY want this to work! lol is it because they are kinda stretchy material? HELP!!!!! :)

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    1. I am doing the same thing with the SAME results. I left mine in bleach overnight, then washed them in bleach, now they are in the bathtub again and still not even close to white. Mine are also faded in spots, dark in others....HELP!!!!!!

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    2. Hi, I started with blackish grey skinnies and it took forever for them to get even close to white. I left mine in the tub for like 8 hours and noticed they hadn't faded much, so I drained the water and started again with super hot water and left them overnight. Still wasn't very light, so I traded out the water again and let it soak all day long. That night (night 2) I took them out of the tub and decided to bleach them in the washing machine on the soak cycle. They were close, but still had some yellow/rustish color around the pockets so I decided to put it through the soak cycle one more time they finally turned almost white. My recommendation is to start with a light colored jeans and then bleach them in the washier first, or just use white and dye them.

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  81. This is adorable, I'll try this as soon as I'll have a spare pair of jeans! Thanks for the idea!

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  82. These are freaking AWESOME!!! Who knew! Great job, I totally wanna try this out!

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  83. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  84. How long does it take to bleach your jeans... and do you turn them inside out?

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  85. Fabulous! I think the thread doesn't take bleach because it's acrylic and those dyes only work on natural fibers.

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  86. synthetic threads won't bleach or dye. (their yarns are solid where natural fibers have pores and can be color changed) All I know is that polyester can be awful to be creative with... sometimes ;)

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  87. This Is beyond amaazing! When you bleached them and dyed them, did they shrink at all? I remember that mine did shrink when I did it a while back but maybe I did something wrong lol. Also, when you wash them regularly after you due them an stuff do they fade? Thanks! If you could send me a message on Facebook that would be great too!

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  88. Can someone please tell me why thread doesn't take bleach? I'm baffled...baffled I tell you. This bothered me at first, but it didn't take away from the cuteness.


    --> i have colourd a lot of clothes but the thread never change colour because its colourproof... it wil never ever change colour...

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  89. gorgeous and oh so clever.

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  90. LOVE THIS! You need a green pair next!

    --Katie
    @ Creatively Living

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  91. Your tutorial is in the top 3 most clicked on links from last weeks Make it Monday party on Brassy Apple! congrats!

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  92. HOLY COW!! I LOVE LOVE LOOOOOVE THEM!! This stitching is PERFECT! I seriously HAVE to try this!!!

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  93. Does it matter whether you use hot or cold water? I tried it with cold and the pants will not bleach!

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  94. those jeans are fabulous! I am featuring this at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com and I know that MANY of my readers will be visiting this tutorial!

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  95. I saw this on pinterest and had to click to read the post because the pants were obviously bleached, but I noticed that the thread remained dark and was hoping to find the answer. Interesting to see that you're as baffled by this as I am.

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  96. I can not beleive it) it s cool!

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  97. Those look awesome! Such a good idea. I've been searching high and low of colored jeans that would look good. Who needs colored jeans when I can go buy a pair of blue jeans at ross and dye them myself. Thanks for the inspiration!!

    Method Clothe

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  98. So clever! Can I ask how long it took you to get them that white before dying them? Did you just let them soak a few times? Thanks!!!

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  99. wow! this is awesome! thanks for sharing :)

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  100. You are a genius!!!! Love this jean it's like brain new coming from gap!!!

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  101. My mother has been wearing skinny jeans forever... since before they were in style, LOL. She's a petite little thing and has always had to tailor her jeans. She's also a pink freak and would LOVE your jeans! I've been thinking about bleaching some jeans I bought at a thrift store for $1/pair. Now I know how. Thanks!

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  102. ohhhhhhhhhh i can not WAIT to do this! i'm a plus size mama in desperate need of one of those cute colored jean skirts...thanks thanks thanks!

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  103. I love it.
    Never loses the thread color, or even with bleach or other bleaching.
    A hug.
    Anna

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  104. I was totally wondering if this could be done! I'm so glad I don't have to guess any more.

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  105. So. Cute. I love this! Especially the color!
    New Follower :)

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  106. AHHHH this is amazing!!! Love it, you did an amazing job!! So cute!

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  107. these are sweeeeeeeeeet!! lol i wanted some and i looked online and they were like $40! i wanna try this now! and the still even look cute as the white with the blue string.ur a genius!!

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  108. Amazing!! They look awesome...might have to make me a pair too! Just wanted to let you know you've been featured at the Tuesday Tutorials Link Party and The Kurtz Corner!! Thanks for linking up :) Stop by and grab a featured button!!

    http://www.thekurtzcorner.com/2012/06/tuesday-tutorials-link-party-no-39.html

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  109. I made my own pair today (bright green)! They turned out amazing and all my friends were jealous. Thanks for inspiring me!!

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    1. Can you please tell me the best method to bleach the jeans and where you did this? Tub? sink? And did it stain the tub??? So many questions before I try to get this right on the first attempt! Thanks!

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  110. I absolutey LOVE this idea! BUT I am having some of the same problems as other readers; i am in the process of bleaching right now ( I am using a piece of a pant leg that i cut off the jeans to test it out) and it is barely lightening. It has been in there for about 2.5 hours and i just started over again. i am using the ratio you suggested, but it does not show signs of being anywhere CLOSE to white! Please let me know if you have any ideas of why! Thanks :)

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    1. Just a guess, but perhaps your jeans have a higher amount of synthetic fibers in them so the bleach doesn't have the same effect as it may on 100% cotton jeans.

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  111. You should know that bleach considerably weakens the fibers of natural clothing. I would be vigilant about checking these pants for wear and weakness, I'd hate to bend over and suddenly give the world a show!

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  112. I actually love the threads showing like that. Very cute!

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  113. I love how the thread didnt fade, it gives it somw uniqueness :D

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  114. The thread doesn't bleach or take up dyes because most threads used for commercial, garment sewing are a poly-cotton blend or full polyester. Synthetics don't take up bleach or dye, as they aren't as porous as natural fibres!

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  115. I'm definitely going to have to give this a try! I'm loving all the bright colored denim, but don't really want to buy a new pair of jeans but I have plenty of old pairs I can do this to. Thanks for showing us how it's done!

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  116. i plan on trying this. but do you wash them after you bleach them, and before you dye them?

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  117. Those are so cute on you. I was planning on turning a similar pair of jeans into a sorts but I thought it would look too boring. Now I know exactly what to do. Thanks for showing us how to do this.

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  118. Replies

    1. I let mine sit in bleach until I could no longer see blue. I would move the jeans around with gloves on my hands.

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  119. Did it tonight and they came out great! Thanks for the idea :)

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  120. I'm not sure whether anyone else has said this (and if so, I apologise), but the thread does not bleach because it is not 100% cotton, which denim generally is. The thread may be wholly or partly made of polyester, which doesn't react the same way to the bleach.

    These are cute, and I'm impressed by your resourcefulness. Years ago when I wanted black jeans and there were none to be found where I lived, I dyed a pair of light blue jeans black, which made me very happy :)

    Nice to see that someone else still sews, as well.

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  121. the threads on the side didn't bleach b/c they are made of polyester. Polyester don't get bleach only coton

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    1. I actually tried this method a few years ago but I left them white and it worked great! However, one day they literally just fell apart! This will happen to bleached jeans. But I did wear them for about 3 summers!

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  122. this is awesome, i just wish i had a bath to try it out myself! x

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  123. This seems like a silly question but what kind of bleach did you use? The kind I am using is turning the jeans yellow.

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  124. If you dye them in the bath tub with it dye the bath tub? That's the only thing I have big enough.

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  125. I just finished mine. They look great!! It did take my jeans like 2 1/2 days of soaking to bleach all the way! But they are sooo cute!

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  126. i did this to my favorite pants. and they fell apart from the bleach. :( so sad/

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  127. I've been trying to bleach a pair of pants..but they just won't bleach!! They came faded, and they are getting a little lighter. But not light enough! Wht kind I bleach did you use??

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  128. Sure would be nice to get a response for the people having difficulty getting their jeans dyed properly.....hello??????

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    1. Excuse me for being on vacation. I've personally replied to TONS of emails regarding this.

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  129. the thread didn't bleach cause the only fabric that bleaches is cotton, the thread must be synthetic for it to be more resistant.

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  130. I absolutely love this!!!! Not sure why some people are blaming you for having issues with their own jeans, it seems pretty clear that this is not a tutorial and that you are just sharing an experience!!! either way I love love love it!!! Happy to have stumbled across your blog!!!! Can't wait to see what new ideas you come up with for you or your little giggler.

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  131. I'm trying to bleach my jeans but they're coming out a bit spotty... what should I do? :(

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  132. How long will it take to make them white?

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  133. Does it matter what type of jeans they are? I'm doing this right now and the bleach isn't taking very well. Do the jeans have to be 10% cotton or another certain fabric? I don't have any knowledge on this subject so I don't really know what I'm doing. Lol

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  135. Your "new" jeans are SO stinkin' cute! I've gotta hit a thrift store and buy a Jean jacket ( I can't sew, so the jeans idea is OUT!

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  136. Your "new" jeans are SO stinkin' cute! I've gotta hit a thrift store and buy a Jean jacket ( I can't sew, so the jeans idea is OUT!

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  137. It's simple in theory but it takes a really long time for the dark jeans to bleach to white.. its definitely a weekend project

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  139. Someone might have already told you... but the reason the thread doesn't bleach is because most threads are made from polyester. Since it is a synthetic fiber, it is harder to bleach and dye. In order to bleach it you might have to use a different type of bleach meant for synthetics. Most likely the jean fabric is a natural fiber, which bleaches and dyes easier.

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  140. I don't recommend bleaching jeans that have spandex in them. My jeans soaked in the water-bleach mixture for a long time and then when I finally tried them on again they totally stretched out and are now way too big to bother dying :( I'm in the process of dying some white capris instead. I hope they turn out, I dyed them in the washer, but didn't keep an eye on them and didn't realize they would dye that fast, seriously like 5 mins and they were already bright orange :( I'm hoping that immediately putting them on the wash cycle with hot water will make them pastel. Fingers crossed. Good luck with your dye adventures everyone!!

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  141. Super Cute! The string for the seams is probably polyester that's why it didn't bleach. I love the way the stitching looks!

    Lily @ http://coloredjeansforwomen.com

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  142. First of all: LOVE IT.
    Second: I don't have a surger, I just make do with my sewing machine. Would it be best then to dye the jeans first and then sew? I'm worried the bleach will break down my new seams.

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  143. Thread is made of polyester and not cotton which is why it won't bleach.

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  144. How long do I leave my pants in the bleach? It's been three hours and I only see a slight difference): I have 6 cups of bleach and 3 gallons of water... If that helps

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    1. it takes about 2 full days for your jeans to bleach all the way... mine were darkwash so i guess it also depends on the wash of your jeans.

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  145. Silly question....what's a serger?

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  146. After they are completely bleached, do I need to wash them or atleast let them dry before I dye them?

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  147. thread doesnt bleach because it's most likely already bleached to a certain color.

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  148. I tried this and it took forever to bleach my jeans (I think I picked too dark of a pair) but I dyed them the same pink and then decided to make them shorts :) I love them. Be prepared to do some sewing if your jeans are not good quality. The bleach ate all kinds of holes ... Mostly around the metal pieces in the jeans. But I love my new pink shorts! The trick is patience... It's not a fast project

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  149. Are these all thin and threadbare now? I remember bleaching skinny jeans in high school and they ripped at the knees shortly after I did it (and I stopped at the splotchy stage). It was only about 3 wearings in to them. :( Hopefully these would last longer?

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    1. They're holding up pretty nice. I used less bleach and let them sit longer. I think that made the difference.

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  150. I working on a new post showing a step by step tutorial to answer everyone questions. I hope that helps. :)

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  151. Found your page through pinterest and really love this idea. Never thought abut fully dying a pair of jeans before. This is a great way to achieve the latest trend without spending a lot. I also never knew thread doesn't bleach but I like how it makes the jeans unique and interesting with the out line pockets.

    http://fashionistanygirl.blogspot.com/

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  152. I love the look! And you are right about quality of jeans & bleach!! :) I love the look the tread gave! You have patience and it paid off!

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  153. This is an awesome project. We used it as inspiration for one of our craftfail posts: http://craftfail.com/2012/08/diy-shredded-jeans/

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  154. Loved them! I even liked them in white before you dyed them pink. I will definitely be trying this soon! Thanks for the tutorial.

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  155. If you have any questions about this post I've done an updated tutorial that you can check out here: http://www.thelittlegiggler.com/2012/08/bleaching-101-dark-jeans-to-pastel.html

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  156. Has anyone tried RIT color remover to remove the dye from their jeans? Polyester thread is solution dyed, meaning the liquid polymer is dyed, then extruded in one long continuous fiber making it a lot stronger than the short twisted fibers in cotton thread and the color cannot be altered when it is that dark.

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  157. i cant wait to try this! i dont know about anyone else but i also think they looked adorable in the picture just white and bleached! something about the navy stitching and white jean is so cute! but love the pink.:) thanks!

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  158. Maybe someone already mentioned this (I didn't bother to read all the comments), but the thread is probably a synthetic material if it didn't take the bleach. Love the pants!

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  159. Thanks for this amazing idea! It's funny, I recently bought a pair of colored skinnies and was hoping to find a review to see a swatch of fabric that I stumbled here. Sad, I wished I could've made my own pink- you can't go wrong coloring THAT if pastel; instead I'm going to try mint which seems hard. Still, thank you for saving me $$ when I can use my old light-blue pair! Your lovely pair inspires me for my own.

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  160. how would i make the pants into like a coral color??

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  161. Such a great idea! I'm going to try for green!

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  162. This is such an amazing idea! They turned out perfectly! Thanks for sharing!!

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  163. how did you hem them to make them skinny jeans?

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    1. I found a skinny jean tutorial here: http://merricksart.blogspot.ca/2011/08/skinny-jean-is-born-tutorial.html

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  164. The thread didn't bleach because it probably wasn't natural fiber, if it were a cotton/natural fiber it would have bleached like the cotton in the denim :)

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  165. Doing this as we speak :) I'm so excited to see how they turn out.!

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  166. Seems like an enormous waste of time and resources. Why not buy a white pair of jeans first, then dye them.? The bleach will undoubtedly make the fabric weak. Hope you get a few wearings before they fall apart. Also, using RIT, the dye will wash out quickly. Use Procion, a real cotton dye. As far as the non dyed thread, it is synthetic polyester, so it won't take the dye.
    All this DIYing is SUPER FUN and all, but usually all wrong. Learn your f++ing craft before publishing on the web.

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    Replies

    1. Instead of spending money buying a brand new pair of white jeans I used a pair that I got for free. I spent $5 on the bleach and dye. I wear and wash them all the time and they feel great. Have a SUPER FUN day.

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    2. Wow...NobodysFool may not be a fool but seems to be very bitter. Maybe he/she should find a website blog for mean people.

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  167. How long do you dye the jeans for each time?

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  168. How long do you dye the jeans for each time in the bleach?

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  169. I LIKE flares. Who wants to look like a pair of popsicle sticks? ;-)

    Very cute though! I'm totally gonna do this with my jeans! :-)

    --Julie

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  170. How much did the Rit dye cost you? And where can you get it?

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Thank you for commenting. :) You're officially awesome.

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