Can you tell we’ve been enjoying dying shoes in our house? In case you missed it, don’t miss either of my girls shoes:
My son wanted in on the action and came up with an American Flag idea… unfortunately the end result turned out a bit too girly for his taste (and then I took it a step further and added glitter), but we still enjoyed making them.
To make a pair of your own you will need a pair of canvas sneakers (I found these at Walmart for $6), a packet of red dye and a packet of blue dye, vaseline, and a bleach pen.
Step 1: Rub a thick layer of vaseline over the rubber portion of the side of the shoe – this protects it from being stained by the dye. Be very careful to not let it get onto the canvas part of the shoe or you’ll have discoloration. The good news is the glitter typically hides any imperfections.
Step 2: If your shoe has removable inserts, take them out. If not, no worries, you’ll just have a dyed sole as well. Remove the laces and set aside. ** Laces will not dye, ask me how I know.
Step 2: Dip the toe of your shoe into the prepared red dye. I let ours soak for about 5 minutes. Remove from the dye and rinse with cold water until it runs clear. Do the same for the second shoe.
Step 3: Dip the heal of your shoe into the prepared blue dye and again let soak for 5 minutes. Remove from the dye and rinse with cold water until it runs clear. Do the same for the second shoe.
** If the colors aren’t as dark as you like, repeat step 2 and 3.
Step 4: With a bleach pen, add some dots into the blue of the shoe. I did one shoe, set it aside, did the other and set it aside. Then I rinsed the bleach of the first shoe and then the second. As the shoe dries, the whiter the dots become.
Step 5: Set aside to dry. After seeing this, my son decided he wouldn’t wear them because they looked to girly, so I went forward and added a bit of sparkle. We had hoped they would fit my niece, but she grew two sizes in a matter of months and they didn’t. I’ll just stick them in my daughters closet until she grows into them.
Step 6: If you want to add sparkle to the shoes, do the following. Create a mixture of Mod Podge, Water and Fine Glitter. I used two parts Mod Podge to 1 part glitter and added 1/2 part of water, which helps dilute the Mod Podge and keeps the shoes from becoming too stiff.
Step 7: Brush the glitter solution onto the shoe – taking care along the edges near the white rubber. Set it aside to dry – it doesn’t take long! Set aside to dry. If you want more sparkle, add another coat.
Step 8: Remove any leftover vaseline from the side of the shoe.
That’s it, you’re done!
I used two parts Mod Podge to 1 part glitter and added 1/2 part of water, which helps dilute the Mod Podge and keeps the shoes from becoming too stiff. – See more at: https://www.inspirationmadesimple.com/2014/03/diy-dip-dyed-glitter-shoes.html#sthash.c2gtBfbO.dpuf
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LOVE all these shoes, and that you make them glitter! Thanks for sharing. You can also use Elmer’s Blue School Gel Glue to get the dot effect on the heel. Use it before dyeing to create the design you want, let dry for a few hours or overnight, then dye. When you rinse the shoe post dyeing the glue washes out and you’re left with the white pattern you designed. Fun for writing words, making hearts for your Valentine Day shoes, etc.
Oooo! Thanks for that idea! The bleach pen works but it does bleed so you can get too detailed with it.