To Dye For

Pregnancy has done some funny things to me - I suddenly feel like I can tackle some pretty crafty projects that I would never have even considered before. 

I learnt how to tie dye for the first time. It seems everyone else I know has tried this at least once when they were younger, but here I am trying it for the first time during my pregnancy. 

I recently learned how to "ombre" with dyes and made my husband and the baby a matching blue and grey gift set that they could wear at the same time (I'll take photos of them wearing the set if I'm not balling my eyes out with utter adoration). The ombre technique took a lot more discipline than I was expecting (splashing is the enemy), and the product isn't perfect but I can't wait to see them being worn.

It had started with a white dress that I wore for Diner En Blanc earlier this summer. Diner En Blanc is a 5,000 person "pop up" dinner where everyone is required to dress head to toe in white, bring their own tables/chairs and food, and party at a secret location that you find out about merely hours before. This was our 4th year doing it, and there was no chance of fitting into my old white dresses, so I invested in an all-white maternity dress. Do you know what one does with an all-white maternity dress after an all-white party? NOTHING. I couldn't find a single time I wanted to wear an all-white dress at the largest size I have ever been. So I bought a DIY tie-dye kit and gave it some fringe. You get the idea.

The last attempt at tie-dyeing has been the least successful, but I kind of like the end result anyhow. I took the "matching gift set" one step further, and included myself in the process. I started to get a little more ambitious with the pattern planning, and it didn't quite work out the way I had envisioned, but there's certainly consistency in the outcome.

I've dyed my hands quite a few times, and I'm not sure I'll take this on again. But I did have a lot of fun making these and learning something new. I look forward to the day my son is old enough for me to teach him how dyes work, and maybe we will make more t-shirts again together.... at that time.