How to dye satin dance shoes?

None of the major dance shoe manufacturers makes shoes in all colours of the rainbow. That would an impossible task, so the shoes are simply made in white satin and you have to dye them yourself. Doing that for the first time may seem frightening, but it is much easier than you think!

For the best results we recommend Dylon multi-purpose dye. All colours costs about $10 per tin.

Both Satin Shoe Colour and Multi-purpose dye are good the same.



Satin Shoe Colour (in the bottles) can be applied to the shoes directly or diluted with water to achieve lighter shade. Multi-purpose dye is a powder that comes in small tins. It is a hot water dye used at the simmer. One tin of Dylon Multi-purpose dye will dye up to 250g/8oz dry weight fabric (3-4 pairs of shoes). In either case the results are not colourfast when wet.

All colours are fully intermixable increasing the number of possible shades that can be achieved. Mix colours together and create a new shade to match an existing outfit! (When looking at the colour charts below please bear in mind that the colours were first printed on paper, then scanned and converted to an image file for the web, so they may vary from the real thing).

Step by step guide to dyeing satin shoes
(with hot water dye)
White satin shoes (please note: leather shoes are not suitable for dyeing)

• A loose piece of satin for testing the colour (always provided with satin shoes)
• A pot (which you are not going to use for ordinary cooking any later)
• An old spoon or other tool for mixing the dye
• Multi-purpose dye (very small quantity will do)
• Clean sponge or a brush (ideally a new one)
• Multi-purpose household gloves
• Water
• Small pinch of salt (optional)
• Your costume available nearby to compare colours

Receipe:

1. Pour 0.5 - 1 litre of water to the pot
2. Bring water to a nearly boiling state
3. Wear the gloves (or you will dye your hands too)
4. Add a pinch of dye to the hot water
5. You can (but do not have to) add a small pinch of salt (some say it helps)
6. Mix everything thoroughly
7. Repeat until the color is right:
   Using the sponge apply liquid to the testing piece
   Compare its colour with your costume
   If testing piece lighter than costume
   Add more dye powder to the pot and mix again
   Go to step 7
   If testing piece darker than costume
   Add water to the pot and mix again
   Go to step 7
   At this point the colour of your mixture should be right!
   
8. Using the sponge apply the liquid to the satin side of your shoes evenly
   Note: Do not panic if the color does not look very even or looks too dark
   It will look much lighter and more even after the shoes dry out
   You may repeat step 8. twice or 3 times for better colour
   
9. Leave the shoes for 24 hrs. to dry out
   
10. Clean the pot, spoon and any other tools you used immediately (it will be much harder later)
    

Hints from Dylon
Ensure shoes are clean and free from stains before dyeing

• Pack shoes with tissue paper
• Please note: the dye may stain
• Starting at the back seam apply dye with with brush. Do not saturate shoe with dye
• Immediately after first coat, light re-apply dye to whole shoe
• Allow to dry away from heat and direct sunlight
• Darker shades can be achieved by applying more coats of dye
• For lighter shades the dye should be dilluted with water

For more info visit Dylon web site at www.dylon.co.uk


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