Creating a Flame Effect Using Dye for A Dance Costume

Next, we will show you how to create a flame effect using dye and fabric. It is a great, unique look if you want that fiery, flaming look. If you are using a really saucy dance, it is a great idea to use this type of effect.

Supplies:

White or light colored skirt
Fabric dye in four different colors, e., Golden Yellow, Sunshine, Tangerine and Wine
Large soup pot (dedicated for dyeing material)
Rubber gloves
Apron or old clothes
Bleach

Directions:

Before you do anything else, check Notes to Remember in the introductory section above.

Choosing Your Materials
Choose a white or light skirt because it will give the best colors. The important thing is to make sure the fabric can be dyed. Then, of course, the next step is choosing your four dyes as outlined above.

Preparation
In this demonstration, we are going to use a large soup or stew pot with really hot water. You will want to make sure you are wearing a pair of gloves and an apron or clothes that you do not care if they are stained. Shake each color of liquid dye very well before you use it. If you use powder dye, make sure it is completely dissolved before you use it.

Dyeing Your Garment
The first step to create the flame effect is to dye the skirt using the lightest of the four colors. In our demonstration that will be the Golden Yellow. Stir the Golden Yellow into a soup pot of very, very hot water. If the water is too hot to put your gloved hands into the water, add a little cool water. Dip the skirt completely into the lighter color.

Take the skirt out of the water and add the second color. For our demonstration, it will be Sunshine. Stir the Sunshine dye into the colored water and mix it well. Because the water is super hot, the skirt will take the color really fast. Holding the skirt at an angle, dip the skirt two or three times into the pot. This will cause the color to be uneven and the dark color will be higher on one side and lower on the other. Hang the top of the skirt over the edge of the pot.

Add the third color (we used Tangerine for our demonstration) to the pot. Because it does not have to be perfect, you can leave part of the skirt hanging into the pot and add the third color while the bottom of the skirt is still in the water. Dip the skirt partway into the pot a couple of times. If it is not dark enough, add more Tangerine to the water and dip the skirt a few more times.

Add the fourth color, Wine, to the mix. Pour the Wine color into your gloved hands and squeeze the color around the bottom of the skirt. You do not want it to be too perfect. If you see any lines between the colors, squeeze around the bottom of the skirt to blur those lines. Just “mess the lines� up a little.

Drying Garment
Under normal conditions, we would dry this skirt in the dryer. However, for this demonstration, we do not have time to do this. So, we will go ahead and cut it while it is still wet. Make sure to use and clean the dryer as explained in the Notes to Remember in the introductory section above.

The last step is to make the hem appear tattered. Once the skirt is dry, cut raggedy strips up the length of the skirt cutting from the hem all the way into the lightest color. Make the cuts very choppy and uneven up towards the top. Go all the way around the skirt. If you end up with a little tiny angle off by itself, just cut it off. You do not want the length even so at some point you may want to cut the hem at an angle and then go back and start chopping up towards the lighter color again. Keep cutting in and out in no particular direction until you have gone all around the width of the hem.