Oh yeah, it’s that time of year! Brides want black. A little black, a lot black, anywhere in-between black. They need black!

Click here to see another wedding dress Dee Dee has created with black lace over a white wedding dress.

Dyeing Symposium

A few years ago I did my annual Bridal Alterations Academy Symposium on dyeing wedding dresses. You could use these same techniques to dye other sewing projects too. These methods translate well to whatever you are sewing.

Natalie Harris

Renegade Bridal

The all time pro, genius, magic making woman of dyeing wedding dresses is Natalie Harris of Renegade Bridal. If you have requests for dyeing a wedding dress and feel like it’s too risky, she is the go to woman to make it happen beautifully. I felt so honored to have her as a guest panelists on my symposium.

https://www.renegadebridal.com/

Dyeing Risks

Helping a bride who has a strong vision for her dress involving color can be a fun experience for a seamstress. But there are some realities about the dyeing process and outcomes that need to be learned. There is a certain amount of risk involved. Fabrics and laces on a wedding dress are going to take dye differently. The color can turn out different than expected too. Brides need to be educated ahead of time about issues and be aware of the risks before deciding to go ahead with the dyeing process.

Beginner Tips

If you are new to the dyeing process, you can always practice on a thrift dress. I personally ask one of my bridal shops that I service if they have any dresses that are just not moving. Dresses that have been in the store too long, or the sequins have yellowed, or have stains. Then we brainstorm together about color and design. I always love to add colored beading to the lace and buttons too. I feel like the beadwork pulls it all together and makes the dye work look intentional. The dresses usually sell quickly after the refresh.

A good technique to start with is the color tipping style. It’s not so messy and has a bit more demure feel to it. Be sure to dye the buttons to add color pop and an intentional look to the dress.

Coming up next month

November is going to be all about family. How do you work from home with family? Sometimes the main reason we want to work from home is so we can be with our family and have flexibility. But making it work can be a difficult balancing act. It’s the beauty and the beast of working from home.