Re-Styling

I've purchased items of clothing at thrift stores before for various reasons (other than to wear).  There's the white sweater I purchased to make the sweater pillow with flowers (yet to make, but it is absolutely getting done this winter), a silk shirt I picked up because it had a pretty pattern and I want to make myself an eye mask with it, and most recently a little dress for Nora.

I love girly ruffles so when I saw this dress from The Children's Place I got excited.  Super cute, with a little tulle flower and some tulle petticoat bit underneath.  But upon looking it over I found a small formula stain on the white material.  However, I had heard about the magical wonders of dyeing items of clothing and thought, for a few bucks I could give it a whirl.

It turned out beautiful!  I used a lot of dye because I wanted a deep purple, and got lucky because the tulle bits and even the buttons dyed a pretty pale lavender.  Unfortunately the thread did not dye too well clearly not cotton), but when the ruffles are right you can't see the thread, and the small bit on the sleeve is covered by a cardigan (because it's a sleeveless dress and it's winter). 

I also dyed a couple onesies the same purple, and have navy and kelly green dye for other items.  I'm now a dyeing convert!  It'll make it easier to keep on the lookout for second hand goods for Nora.  I'm a firm believer that babies are in clothes for short a period that you can find really barely used clothes easily, and it's a waste of money to buy everything new.  Now I can look and if something has a tiny stain but is in otherwise perfect condition I'll know that it probably can easily be dyed! 

Have you ever bought something to dye or otherwise alter?