It would be a deep deep blue

I have this H&M sweater that I adore and is sentimental because Mr. K bought it for me while we were in Philadelphia together, but I haven't worn it in 2 years because it has a strange unknown and unforgivable stain.

I have tried every stain solution and just can't seem to get it out. As I was speeding through the laundry section the other day trying to find the ingredients to DIY my own laundry soap (still have yet to find washing soda in stock). I saw the cache of Rit Dyes. I have a pair of jeans that are a few years old and are looking pretty acid washed lately so I thought I'd pick up a little "denim" color and try my hand at dying the jeans.

When I got home and read the RIT packaging and it said I could add up to 2 lbs of clothing per bottle. All I had was this measly pair of jeans. It seemed like a waste of time/dye. Then I thought about my old sweater (it's been living on my closet floor for so long!). I have been crushing on all things chambray & maxi skirt w/ graphic tee lately...and I thought the sweater might just turn out a lovely chambray shade. (Hello two birds, meet one stone).

Polyvore, of course 

I was super nervous because everything on people's blogs about RIT shows the difficulty of the process (granted most of these are hombre techniques and crazy cool other stuff). I chose the top loader technique (since that's what I'm working with) and frankly the stove top method terrified me. I added a cup of salt (for cotton) to the dye bath (hottest water on longest setting) and wetted my clothes in the bathtub (check out how I transported them medical personnel, I found a momentary use for the mauve hospital tub). After dying you wash on warm with detergent, then you do another load (while your dyed clothing is drying) either empty or with old rags/towels and bleach to cleanse your basin of all the dye, worked like a charm.

My jeans didn't have a dramatic effect, but they are less stone-washed.

But the sweater, the sweater I LOVE. A whole new life for it. I love how the buttons and the button threads stayed white, and the rest is that yummy chambray color. And the cardigan I found on Polyvore, it's 149 pounds, the RIT was about 3 dollars, the sweater was a gift (gratis!).  

And an option, if you can't find the perfect chambray shirt, dye a comfy white one. The stain is completely unnoticeable. I will definitely RIT dye again.

Linking up at Sugar and Dots, and Cowgirl Up link parties.

 (PS RIT doesn't even know about this post, let alone compensate me for my opinion).

title courtesy of It Would be You: Gary Allan, here's looking at you Ash!