Do y’all remember when I bought that denim vest for two dollars at my hometown flea market? Let’s refresh our memoryhere*wink*
Now, because I love DIYing denim SO much, I decided to share with y’all one of my favorite denim-bleaching techniques–tie-bleaching denim–on this special VIP DIY. Ooo…I wonder what it could be *wink*
How did I create this look? Well, gather the below items, and let’s get started!
A denim vest/jacket
1/2 cup of chlorine bleach (I used Splash-less Clorox.)
A glass cup
1/2 cup of water
A foam brush
Several rubber-bands or cloth ties
WARNING: Before getting started, please note that you will need to do this DIY in a well-ventilated area. Also, do not directly inhale any bleach fumes. Remember bleach will bleach. Be careful and wear old clothes! If you are sensitive to smells or bleach, do not attempt this project.
Step 1: Lay out your vest with the back panel facing up.Step 2: Pinch a tiny piece of the denim pulling it up into a “unicorn horn”–this is very much like tie-dyeing–but we are going to use a bleach mixture instead of colored dyes.
Step 3: Add a rubber-band or cloth tie to the bottom of your “unicorn horn”.Step 4: Add another rubber-band or cloth tie about an inch from the first tie. Remember to get it as tight as possible.Step 5: Combine a half of cup of bleach with equal parts water. This is a strong mixture! Do NOT directly inhale bleach fumes.Step 6: Begin painting on the bleach-water mixture to the top of the “unicorn horn”–please be careful to not get the mixture on your hands or fingers. If you do, please stop immediately and wash your hands with soap and water.
Step 7: After applying enough bleach mixture to the top, move on to the base of the vest. Do NOT “un-bunch” the vest’s base. Bleaching the base while it is bunched adds a more tie-dyed effect.Step 8 (part 1): While your sunburst is bleaching, feel free to add mini ones in random areas on the vest.Step 8 (part 2): If desired, bleach other areas of the vest. Do not be afraid to get a little creative *wink* BUT remember to be very careful!Step 9: After applying the bleach-mixture where desired, wait 7 to 10 minutes and untie the rubber-bands/cloth ties. If you have sensitive skin, please wear gloves designed for handling chemicals.Step 10: Rinse your denim vest/jacket with warm water. Once it is completely rinsed, throw it in the wash and hang to try. It is recommended to not wash the vest with other clothing items. Wash it alone.Step 11: Style an ensemble with your new and fabulous vest *wink*
Will I see him on the TV preachin’ ’bout the promised land
He tells me to believe in Jesus
And steals the money from my hand
Some say he was a good man
But Lord I think he sinned, yeahTwenty-two years of mental tears
Cries a suicidal Vietnam vet
Who fought a losing war on a foreign shore
To find his country didn’t want him back
Their bullets took his best friend in Saigon
Our lawyers took his wife and kids, no regrets
In a time I don’t remember, in a war he can’t forget
He cried “Forgive me for what I’ve done there
Cause I never meant the things I did”
And give me something to believe in if there’s a Lord above
And give me something to believe in Oh, Lord, ariseMy best friend died a lonely man
In some Palm Springs hotel room
I got the call last Christmas Eve
And they told me the news
I tried all night not to break down and cry
As the tears rolled down my face
I felt so cold and empty
Like a lost soul out of place
And the mirror, mirror on the wall sees my smile it fades again
Sometimes I wish to God I didn’t know now
The things I didn’t know then road you gotta take me homeI drive by the homeless sleeping on a cold dark street
Like bodies in an open grave
Underneath the broken old neon sign
That used to read JESUS SAVES
A mile away live the rich folks
And I see how they’re living it up
While the poor they eat from hand to mouth
The rich is drinkin’ from a golden cup
And it just makes me wonder why so many lose, so few win
You take the high road and I’ll take the low roadSometimes I wish to God I didn’t know now
The things I didn’t know then
And give me something to believe in