Dying Shoes

[helena]

I am going to dye a pair of cream coloured round toed mary jane shoes this weekend - using Dylon shoe dye kit. Has anyone used this before - does any one have any advice on how to get it looking as professional as possible? Any advice is most welcome.

 

[softgrey]

don't know this brand...do you apply the dye with an applicator?...or is it a bath?...

 

[purplelucrezia]

Dylon Shoe Colour Instructions
Instructions:

1. Clean surface to be coloured with a damp cloth.

2. Tightly pack shoes with newspaper to fill out the creases.

3. Dampen preparer pad with water and lightly rub abrasive side over entire
surface to prepare it for colour. Wipe clean and allow to dry. The abrasive
pad will scratch the surface but this will be covered by the shoe colour.

4. Shake bottle well. Apply a thin and even coat of colour with
brush. Allow to dry.

5. Apply a second coat, washing brush between coats. Further coats may
be necessary with some colours e.g Gold and Silver.

6. Allow to dry overnight.

For Canvas:

1. Remove all grease marks with soapy water and allow to dry. (Do not use
the abrasive side of the preparer pad)

2. Dilute shoe colour with 25% water or add water to shoulder of the plastic
bottle and shake. Apply as above. Some fabrics may stiffen as a result.

From this site.
http://www.dylon.co.uk/colourcentre/shoecolo/shoecolor.htm#

 

[helena]

thankyou Purple. very kind. I was thinking of washing them first with white spirit in order to strip off any seal or waterproof coating thats been put on the leather by the manufacturer. I dyed a pair of boots last year & the dye seems to come off in the creases of the leather at the front of the ankle. I want to avoid that happening again.

 

[softgrey]

i've heard that before helena...about the colour rubbing off in the creases...i don't think it can be avoided...i think shoes have to be re-dyed periodically, just like shoes have to be polished periodically...i think that's just the way it is...i think the white spirit wash couldn't hurt and it's worth a shot i guess...but it doesn't sound good for the leather...

what colour are you dying them>?

 

[helena]

I am perhaps being ambitious but I am thinking of leaving one section cream around the rim of the foot (as its made of a separate bit of leather) and dying the rest of the shoes grey if I can find grey dye. i would like the grey to be a mottled worn grey rather than matte. don't suppose you remember a picture of Kate Moss from years ago wearing a camel coat & a fabulous pair of grey mui mui maryjanes arriving at an airport? Thats what I'm after. I have always loved those shoes. I'll try & find it to post....

 

[softgrey]

ambitous indeed...

i don't remember the exact shoe...but i think i get the idea...mottled grey?...so you mean like and antique finish?..possibly with a sheer coat of black overtop that has been rubbed off before it has a chance to dry?...that kind of thing?...

 

[helena]

yes thats kind of the idea - I found the picture of kate's shoes on rexfeatures website but you have to pay to download....

How would I make a sheer black wash though?

I could paint them with the grey dye & then when they were dry brush them with black polish or cream polish & take it off quite quickly?

I might abandon the two tone thing & just concentrate on the finish. Doesn't really matter if I mess it up as I never wear the shoes anyway.

 

[softgrey]

yeah...you just need a waxy blk polish to put over once they are dry...and then rub off quickly with a soft cloth...while pushing the colour into the corners and creases...

the two tone thing would make it extremely tricky...i would suggest that onlyh if you're feeling extremely ambitious...

or you could two tone with the dye...and then do the blk 'antique-ing' over the whole shoe...that would be more doable...i think...

and then you need to post them in the customisation thread...where'd that go???...

 

[helena]

well I got the grey dye at lunchtime so we'll see how it goes. I agree the two tone is going to be too difficult. I am not very hopefull that its going to turn out well actually. I think the problem lies with the shoes - they are slightly too clumpy I think (I think my taste in shoes is suspicious!). I'll post on the customisations thread (if i can find it) once finished. Going to my parents this weekend so maybe my Mum will help me.

 

[softgrey]

i've been working on dying some shoes and it's going well so far...
a pair of dries shoes that were green (and never worn) have been sprayed black and look fantastic...
can't wait to wear them...

the boots i sprayed last year have been stripped and more professionally done...
they are amazing and i wear them as often as possible...

and now i am in the middle of dying a pair of sand colored suede clarks...
only had enough suede dye for one shoe~!
had to order more and am waiting...
need to figure out new shoelaces in the meantime~!

...

it's so satisfying when these things actually go well~!

 

[softgrey]

the clarks came out well...
will post a pic later...

also painted the new/vintage l.j. simone booties which look great in black~!
...

rah rah rah!!!

 

[softgrey]

recently been wearing the clarks that I dyed...
I took out the laces and leave them totally undone...
very comfy and they look great with joggers...
*thumbs up*