DIY Dyeable Corset

Did you know that Timeless Trends has a DYEABLE corset? You do now. This corset is 100 percent white cotton through all of its layers to give the most even and consistent dye job. It is made with cotton thread so that even the stitching picks up the dye evenly and won't stand out. Of course, all of our corsets use the galvanized steel boning so that it won't rust or otherwise react to the dye bath and the busks will come out just as brilliantly silver as they went in.

 

First things first – here's what you're going to need:

• A Timeless Trends Dyeable corset

• Rubber gloves (check them for small holes – see pic below of my green finger)

• Dye ( I used Rit brand dye like my mother always did but there's a great Instructables using Dylon)

• I also used a small amount of dish soap and a cup of salt – suggested in the instructions on my dye.

• Beverage of your choice :) I chose a nice cold beer!

 

 

You won't be able to just toss the corset in the washing machine so we'll be following the directions for dyeing in a tub or stainless-steel sink (most dyes will have this method in the instructions).

 

Before we can get straight to dyeing, we need to do a little more prep work. The laces on your corset are the only part that isn't all cotton. They are a polyester blend and should be removed before dying or else they won't pick up and retain the color the same as the corset. You can try dying these with a separate dye, one made for synthetic fabrics, or simply replace them. I will be replacing mine with silver ribbon.

 

Once the laces have been removed the corset simply needs to be dunked in clean hot water. No need to wash it before hand or anything but the garment should be wet when dunked in the dye bath. What I did was draw clean hot water in the sink (or tub) where I was going to do my dyeing, dunked my corset in the clean hot water, then took it out and set it aside (don't let it dry).

 

I quickly added my dye, soap and salt, to the water bath and mixed it really good before adding my corset back into the dye bath (again you want it to still be wet). My dye called for a teaspoon of dish soap, a cup of salt for vibrant colors (skip this step if you want pastels or a less bold coloring), about 3 gallons of water as hot as the garment could take it, and half of an 8 oz. bottle of dye or up to double that for stronger color (I doubled up).

 

Now all that is left to do is submerge both pieces of your corset in your dye bath (wear gloves!) and swish them around gently for about 10 minutes to ensure an even coating. You will see your corset taking up color quickly but remember that your corset will dry a few shades lighter, so you want it to be a bit darker than what your goal color is. Make sure the pieces are both covered by the dye bath and let them sit for 30 minutes to an hour, again depending on how bold you want your end color. I wanted a very vivid green, so I let mine soak the whole hour.

 

Once your corset has soaked and you are happy with the shade and saturation of your dye, all that's left is to rinse out the leftover dye until the water runs clear. Some suggest doing this in the shower, but I found that the spray nozzle at my sink was fine for this.

 

 

 

Once the water is running clear you can hang the corset to dry. Those with sensitive skin might want to hand wash with gentle soap and water to make sure there's no left-over dye that might be a skin irritant. Now simply re-lace, wear, and receive ALL THE COMPLIMENTS!

(Post pictures and tag us on social media! We'd love to see your project!)