| Author |
Stitching & Crafting Room:  Dyeing fleece for Halloween costume  |
|
|
susanreno
True Blue Farmgirl
66 Posts
Susan
West Chester
PA
USA
66 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 28 2008 : 12:26:16 PM
|
I'm hoping I haven't gotten in over my head.....
My twin girls each have a kitten stuffed animal that they LOVE - no bedtime is complete without "kitti-ka," as they try to say. So..... I thought it would be "fun" (ha ha) to make them matching kitten costumes for Halloween. One kitten is pure white - EASY! The other is orange with darker orange stripes - hmmm, not so easy. Yes, this is why I'm starting in August, along with the fact that any sewing project seems to take me 10 times longer than I think it will.
I've already bought the orange fleece, it's probably polyester but I forgot to look when I was buying it. (I wasn't happy with the selection of patterned fleece choices, none looked anything like this kitten, so that's why I just bought orange.) I've also bought some fabric dye, but have yet to attempt dyeing some of the extra fabric. In my imaginary world of easy solutions, I'm hoping I could brush the dye on the fleece with a paintbrush or something, so that I could emulate the stripes on the actual stuffed animal, but I really have no idea.
Help! I think I definitely need some guidance.  Thanks in advance!
Susan |
|
|
BarefootGoatGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1495 Posts
Corrine
North Carolina
USA
1495 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2008 : 1:13:42 PM
|
Unless you've bought special dye, I doubt it will work. Natural fabrics dye best. I've actualy seen cotton garments sewen with polyester thread where the fabric colors beautifuly, but the thread stays the same. I would look more toward fabric paint and maybe applying it after the garment has been constructed.
What we write today slipped into our souls some other day when we were alone and doing nothing.
-Brenda Ueland
http://quilandneedle.blogspot.com/
http://musingandmuttering.blogspot.com |
 |
|
|
Bonne
True Blue Farmgirl
3003 Posts
Bonne
Littleton
CO
USA
3003 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2008 : 1:36:49 PM
|
Just cut out felt in the darker orange color you want and fabric glue on the stripes.
When I made my son costumes, I started with , as a base, a sweatsuit~l/s top & pants~ in a solid color that would go with the theme. Red for a lobster; black for a bee; green for "the Onceler"; etc etc. Then added on things from there. Felt was my friend~you didn't have to sew it on, although you could.
 http://bonne1313.blogspot.com/ BLOG
|
|
|
|
Jami
True Blue Farmgirl
1238 Posts
Jami
Ellensburg
WA
USA
1238 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2008 : 1:57:16 PM
|
Susan, when I say "fleece" it always means "wool fleece" because I raise sheep, but when you say "fleece" I am thinking you mean Polarfleece??? That's a polyester blend and won't take dyes well that are frequently available.
So...I am thinking paint the stuff (the stripes) with fabric paints? Think that's about the only solution I can think of. The suggestion of sewing on the stripes with fabric would work too.
Your girls will love it either way. Have fun. Great idea.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
|
|
|
grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2008 : 06:09:16 AM
|
You can also go to like a Joann's and find their fabric dye section. There will be some dyes that spray on and if this old brain is working the have orange, brown and black. Then you get yourself some cardboard and make some stencils. When you are spraying the fabric keep it taught and then follow the insturctions carefully. You can then go back in with a fabric markers to make even more details. That is how I did it - good luck.
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2008 : 08:27:35 AM
|
I once did a costume with fleece (I agree with the other gals..it just dosn't take dye well!!) by spraying on that temporary hair color spray...like Grace said, you can add more detail with fabric markers. It stayed on really well and the costume was used more than once (a real requirement for costumes around here!!) It was a cat costume too..but grey and black stripes...and was a few years ago. Good luck!! Smart of you to be thinking ahead. I wonder what my kids will want to do this year. The older they get the more unusual ideas they come up with. I do love Halloween though.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
|
|
|
susanreno
True Blue Farmgirl
66 Posts
Susan
West Chester
PA
USA
66 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2008 : 4:50:41 PM
|
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Yeah, I had a feeling the dyes I got wouldn't work well on polyester fleece. I think I'm going to try the spray-on fabric (or temp. hair color) paint idea. I like the stencil idea too, I think that will help the stripes look a little more "finished." Well, with all these ideas, my excuses for not diving right in have run out! I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks again.
Susan |
|
|
| |
Stitching & Crafting Room: Dyeing fleece for Halloween costume |
|
Dyeing fleece for Halloween costume
