Deliberately fading stuff

[Edie]

So I’ve been buying jigsaw tops off of eBay cos I like that style but I’m not paying forty quid for a cami, or sixty for a cardi or whatever.

My hit rate for success is about 80%. Among the failures was this so called teal cami and cardi. Now the pictures don’t do it justice it is BRIGHT. Brighter than these pics show for some reason, like the top one but more so






They’d be winners if they were just washed out about a hundred times. Any advice on how to achieve this effect quickly?

 

[moose]

There's no predictable way to do it, particular when the fabrics are mixed fibres. You could try a very mild bleach solution but that will trash the lace part. The bottom one looks like it's a marl, so a mix of synthetics - they're designed not to fade, unfortunately.
The easiest way to tone down the colour would be to try to over-dye them with a grey, but that might not be the effect you're looking for and again would be a challenge because of the fibre mix and the lace.
Just stick 'em in the washer with every wash you do

 

[Baronage-Phase]

Sorry...I'm distracted by your foot...
It resembles a penis.
Sorry....
Really...

 

[IC3D]

They look fine. Your penis is alarming.

 

[Voley]

Sorry...I'm distracted by your foot...
It resembles a penis.
Sorry....
Really...

 

[Boudicca]

You could try soaking them in stain remover/oxywhatnot for whites.

In terms of dyeing, I reckon navy would be your best bet.

(Well spotted Lupa...)

 

[Edie]

Sorry...I'm distracted by your foot...
It resembles a penis.
Sorry....
Really...

fucking hell pmsl

 

[Baronage-Phase]

fucking hell pmsl

Yes....I'm embarrassed that my mind went that way... but there ya go.

 

[moomoo]

Hang them out in the sunshine. The sunlight will fade them.

 

[Edie]

There's no predictable way to do it, particular when the fabrics are mixed fibres. You could try a very mild bleach solution but that will trash the lace part. The bottom one looks like it's a marl, so a mix of synthetics - they're designed not to fade, unfortunately.
The easiest way to tone down the colour would be to try to over-dye them with a grey, but that might not be the effect you're looking for and again would be a challenge because of the fibre mix and the lace.
Just stick 'em in the washer with every wash you do

Thanks moose even though the message isn’t what I wanted to hear you clearly know your stuff

I may try the dye for the cami but leave the cardi be.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

They look lovely...
Wash them and lay them out flat in sunlight...turn them after a few hours...
This works if you're lucky to get a nice sunny day.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

They look fine. Your penis is alarming.

Hang them out in the sunshine.

there are some things that should not be hung out in the sunshine

 

[moose]

Thanks moose even though the message isn’t what I wanted to hear you clearly know your stuff

I may try the dye for the cami but leave the cardi be.

Have they got labels in? what's the fabric composition?

 

[RubyToogood]

Rather than trying to bleach them you could try tea-dyeing them. This works well on white, green and blue fabrics because it gives them a bit of age and knocks them back a bit.

It's just a case of experimenting with different strengths of tea really. And try to dye evenly by moving the fabric round etc.

 

[a_chap]

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... (in other words when I was a student in the 1970s/80s) I used to work in an industrial laundry during holidays/weekends. One of the services that place provided was to fade (and stonewash) jeans.

I guess you're not looking for a stonewashed effect Edie (if you are you need to add pumice stone into your washing machine, then after a few days place an order for a new washing machine) but just to fade denim it really was as simple as adding the Right Amount of bleach. The "right amount" really isn't very much at all.

From memory we'd add a single litre(ish) bottle of bleach to the washer but keep in mind the washing machines would hold about 150 pairs of jeans each. Oh, and the bleach had to be added after the washer had filled with water. Not sure how you'd do that in a domestic washing machine. Actually I don't that much about our washing machine here as the wife gets pretty annoyed when ever I use it. She claims I'll break it which I think is unfair. I've broken other things before but never a washing machine. Actually, over the years, a washing machine is probably the only thing I've never been (unjustly, dammit!) accused of breaking...

 

[Mumbles274]

OT but those 2 pics are a bit phwoar. You look ace Edie