Controlled Bleach Staining

Hi!

Today i'll show you how to use bleach to stain patterns into fabric! For this example i'll be using a cheap black shirt since i like the orange-like stain i get from it! Different collors yield different stains, so give your favourite color a shot and find out what stain you can create!

Note: Don't wear any clothes you don't mind ruining. Bleach is no joke and will stain almost anything it touches!

I'll include the stencil i used for download!

Step 1: Parts List!

There are 3 basic things you need for this project.

- A piece of clothing ( I use cheap cotton shirts!)
- A spray bottle filled with 50% water and 50% bleach
- A stencil of some sort ( you can use anything. I chose to print my stencil and cut it out! I've used painter's tape before and it works great.

Step 2: Preparing the Pattern!

Patterns can take all shapes. I printed mine on paper and used a sharp blade to cut it out. not that crisp lines show up better! you can add in freehand sprays later if you feel like experimenting a bit!

For all those who understand Dutch. This shirt will be a christmas present for my sister in law. If i don't post anything after 25 december, you know what happened.

Step 3: Finishing Preparation

As we're using a water based 'stain' we need to make sure it doesn't seep through to the other side.

Measure the width of your shirt and cut a piece of cardboard to that size. Tuck your shirt over the cardboard. It should be a snug fit but don't stretch it out.

The last step is to cove everything. And I mean everything. We will be spraying a thin mist over the shirt. Those little droplets will get everywhere. ( make sure to wear a dust mask and cover all bare skin. this stuff is not healthy!)

On to the actual staining!

Step 4: Staining!

Now comes the exciting part!

There are different techniques for different results so experiment with cheap fabric!

Spraying from close range wills give a spot blended finish.
Spraying from far away will create a dotted finish.

Make sure to try and don't be afraid to ruin anything, it'll look great anyway, it wasn't a mistake, call it design!

Once you've sprayed the mixture on, the waiting game starts. The longer you let the solution sit on the fabric, the longer it gets to effect the color!

Don't panic if the color doesn't change immediately. It might take a while.

Once your satisfied with the color. Rinse the shirt in cold water. Squeeze the water out regularly before rinsing it again!

Step 5: Finished!

Celebrate! You just made something awesome with infinite possibilities!

Every differently colored shirt gives different results! So try a few! Don't forget to share what you made!