Dying Fabric with Red Wine: DIY Ombre Effect

The ombre trend has made a huge impact these past couple of years. People have been having their clothes ombred, their hair, and now they are incorporating it into design.

(Picture Source)

I honestly love this effect. It's beachy, bohemian, and care-free.

Today I had the idea of experimenting with dying fabric with what I have in my kitchen (which wasn't much, can't exactly dye fabric with meats, cheeses, lettuce, or goldfish!) The only thing I really had was a bottle of wine.

One that I don't really touch except for on weekends, deuted with half canberry juice. What can I say? I'm not much of an alocohol person! So needless to say I wouldn't miss it too much.

I did some research on wine dying and found that many attempts to dye with wine were temporary. Washing the fabric would wash the beautiful rose/lavender effect of the fabric. Well, for me, I thought maybe I'll make something that wouldn't have to be washed. Maybe a temporary sash for my curtains?

So my journey began...

I found an old white pillow case that was my husband's in our closet. It had a huge hole where the seeming was. Yep! Perfect "never-going-to-be-used-for-what-it-was-made-for" item!

So I poured a little wine in a pot and heated it on high until it started boiled. Then I set it to low.

 I dipped half of the pillow case into the pot, waited a few mintues, then lifted it until only the bottom of the case was in the wine. I also very chicly taped the top to my stove's vent so I could let it soak for two hours. Classy!

After waiting I took it out and let it air dry in the grass. I didn't know if it would stain my patio.

The end result was a beautiful and rich colored ombre effect.

The effect on a test strip after the washing machine was a slate grey where the red wine was. So really, its only a fabric stain. But would be perfect for things that don't need to washed often. Maybe curtains?

Starting Out

Starting out in a home for the first time is a difficult journey for most of us...well, for most of us who aren't made of money! Furniture is a scavenger hunt, you rely on the kindness of others, and thifting becomes a necessity...

And if you have one creative bone in your body, the ability to turn something drab into fab is an exciting challenge. Thifting turns into projects, adventures, and the money you save is great; especially in this economy.

I recently just moved across the country, from the East coast to Utah. Recently married and having a toddler, you can say that money was tight! Being a young military family has its perks, you don't have to worry about having a place to live. Which I am blessed for. But having the income to support buying food, diapers, AND making your place look great is an adventure in its self.

I decided to create this blog, to write and photograph about my crafting journeys, experiments, and maybe to help someone who is in the same budget crunch.

First I shall document my not-so-fab-right-now home.

Above is our dining table, missing two chairs (which are scattered around our house to make up for lack of furniture at the moment).

The table cloth is a scarf my dad got for me while he was in Afghanistan. I really love it, just not the look of the dining set. Will have to do something about this in the future.

Also on the table is our fish BJ.

We have another dining set, which I like, just need to re-do those not-so-great seats.

Ekk....

The living room is bland. EVERYTHING IS BROWN.
 Brown couches and brown curtains. What? Artist like myself living in a brown living room? That's going to change!

The pillows are going to have a makeover as well as our couches.

Last but not least, our bedroom. Yep. Mario Comforter. From when my husband was in the dorms. He bought it because he thought his duty station was a "Debbie Downer." The stool is a thifted item I found for 5 bucks and painted black. Working as a night stand for now. My husband has a thifted night stand that I also bought for 5 bucks and painted black. He just has an actual night stand :P

We got most of our furniture for free or for little to no cost to us. And I am so greatful for that. They just need a little face lift, one piece at a time!

-Jackie

"This world is but a canvas to our imagination."
 Henry David Thoreau