My Do-It-Yourself Brand New Bathrobe!!!

Last weekend my much-more-computer-savvy sister-in-law suggested that, since Michael and I do so many DIY projects around the house, that I might want to add the projects to my blog.  (Thank you, by the way!!)

So that is what I have decided to do.  Right now.  We'll see how it goes. . .  =)

For the first of what I hope to be many of these sorts of projects, I chose my faded, dingy old pink bathrobe for a renovation.

Allow me to set something straight:  I love bathrobes.  I mean, I LOVE bathrobes.  If it were socially acceptable (--and I believe that in some distant and far-advanced civilization in our future that it WILL be--) I would walk around in my bathrobe ALL THE TIME.  SRSLY.  They are the perfect article of clothing.

And I will NOT become embroiled again in the whole Snuggie-argument!  What happens when you're wearing a Snuggie and you want to stand up??  I'll tell you what:  Your backside is completely exposed.  COMPLETELY!!  Back to the drawing board, I'm afraid, Snuggie-folks.  And don't even get me STARTED on the Forever Lazies. . .if I wanted to wear one of those, I would just wear a sweatsuit. 
They.  Have.  A.  Buttflap.  That's really all I need to know.

So suffice it to say that bathrobes are my dear-sweet lounge wear of choice.  But my current robe has been used so often and so much, that it is covered in stains and spots, is looking really dingy, and the pink color has started to fade.

And thus I decided I would DYE IT!!!!  PURPLE!
(. . .always worked when I was bored with my hair!  =)

So here's what the dear Pinkie-Grimy looked like Before:

Sadly, the picture does not even do it justice. . .I mean this thing was a disgrace.  (I love bathrobes, but not DIRTY bathrobes.)  But still, this one was dearly-loved . . . SO dearly loved, in fact, that I decided that Pinkie-Grimy deserved maybe a little something better.  A little more 'Oomph!'  And so, being me, and being one-quarter-blooded full-blown Hippie (--It's true.  I have the documentation to prove it .--) I thought that the robe would look LOVELY with little white circles on it---a 'la poor-man's tie-dye  =) 

Unfortunately for both this project, AND for Pinkie-Grimy, I did not have ANY rubber bands on hand with which to carry out this vision. . .  (I have specially-sized small staples for a cat-stapler that I can't even FIND. . . and yet not a single rubber band to be found.)  So.  I COULD have jumped in the car, run to Target and purchased some rubber bands. 

But I am impatient.  And was MORE than ready to get this project on the move.  So I used the only suitable thing that I had on-hand:  A handful of ponytail holders.  (This was a try-and-see and hope-for-the-best project, in case you haven't figured that out.  I am by NO means an expert.)

So here is Pinkie-Grimy all tied up in a handful of ponytail holders:

So ponytail holders or no (--Big mistake.  Huge.--), I trudged determinedly onward, and prepared for the 'fun' part of the project:    THE DYEING!!!!

I used standard RIT dye in the purple box  (you can get it at craft stores, or usually just at the grocery store, though they don't have as many colors to choose from.)  The box STRONGLY SUGGESTS using gloves.  (strongly.)  But, after a quick search of our grounds, and an intense interrogation of my husband, it was decided that we had NO suitable gloves in out home.  However, I DID find an adorable pair of kitten-gloves during my search----HOORAY!!  . . .Gonna be settin' those babies out for the next slightly-brisk day.  =)

Proceeding.

So, since I had no gloves, and was basically just getting CUH-RAZY with not following the box's STRONGLY WORDED SUGGESTIONS (I was giddy with creativity.  Or the fumes from the dye.  Who can say for sure?)  I approached my set-up like this:

I ran one side of the sink with warm soapy water (to get the dye off my hands quickly), and the other side with hot water and the RIT dye.  I only used half a pack of the dye . . . who KNOWS when something around here is DESPERATELY going to need to be dyed purple??  No one.  That's who.

(Better safe than sorry.)

Then I just let it sit there for a while.

Occasionally poking it and prodding it with a wooden spoon.  Some spots wanted to take the dye, and some spots did NOT.  But I just kept on stirring it around.  You know, to make sure all parts had an equal chance.  (I am nothing if not fair.)

I've gotta say, it felt very delightfully 'witchy' to be poking and prodding my dark-colored brew in the sink.  =)  . . .I wonder how Witches feel about walking around all day in their bathrobes.  . . . .hmmm. . .might be worth checking out.  Maybe they know something I don't. 

I digress.  It was a satisfying feeling, that's all.

After an undetermined amount of time (I might've mentioned that I am impatient), I decided that they dye had done it's job, and I got ready to take the whole mess out.

Before which, though, there was MUCH wringing to be done.  As I do NOT currently want to ruin my dryer, I rinsed and squeezed and rinsed and squeezed and rinsed and SQUEEZED my new creation, until the water ran clear.  Then I squeezed a little more.  Just for good measure.

Then I tossed the thing in the dryer and crossed my fingers.

And waited.

(Seemed like it took a long time.  Could be just me.)

And HERE is the finished creation!!!------



Again, the photo doesn't do it justice, and it looks a LOT more purple in person.

And here's the back:



You can just barely make out the spots where I tried to create circles with the ponytail holders.

Lesson learned:  If EVER trying to Tie-dye something, ESPECIALLY a very thick-fabriced something---USE RUBBER BANDS.

But, overall, I'm pleased with it.  It feels like new.  (Actually feels a little softer.)  And at the very least---you can no longer see the stains.

So stay tuned.  More of my fascinating re-do's coming soon.

(*sarcasm*)