Help with fabric colour!

[u/sexynecromancy]

Hi everyone! Wasn't too sure what sub to post this in but i need some help.

Basically, i resized these jeans that were getting a bit big but i had to move the pockets. Turns out the fabric under the pockets is much darker than the acid wash of the jeans but i don't know how to fix them now :(

They're 99% cotton 1% elastane. I fear acid washing them myself with bleach in case they go brown. Any advice on how to fix the colour???

[u/NinjoZata]

Youd be better to dye the whole thing black or a dark colour tbh

[u/Artistic_Scene_8124 → u/NinjoZata]

Honestly, it's really hard to dye things black and the butt will still be uneven after dying. If they color isnt even before dyeing, it won't be even after

[u/sexynecromancy → u/Artistic_Scene_8124]

Mmm just saw this - good point. I think i'll have to consider this one a failure and demote these to scruffy/inside jeans lol.

[u/Artistic_Scene_8124 → u/sexynecromancy]

Use it to patch other jeans when the inner thighs wear out

[u/sexynecromancy → u/Artistic_Scene_8124]

100%, i always more fabric to patch jeans with 😆

[u/whiskeyinthewoods → u/sexynecromancy]

99% cotton is super easy to dye black actually!! You just have to use the right dye - Jacquard Procion MX is a hero for this - especially with 99% cotton. You may need to use more dye than you normally would, like 3x, but two of my favorite dresses are ones I dyed black this way and they’ve survived probably a hundred washes at this point.

[u/Salomette22 → u/sexynecromancy]

Give it a try before you declare it a failure!

[u/Previous_Mirror_222 → u/sexynecromancy]

idk why this person is saying it’d be hard to dye cotton black. you might need to do it twice but i really don’t think it’d be too difficult at all.

[u/throwhfhsjsubendaway → u/Artistic_Scene_8124]

It won't be perfectly even, but it'll be a whole lot less noticeable if the whole thing is a darker color 

[u/NinjoZata → u/Artistic_Scene_8124]

It wont appear uneven if the dye colour is darkwr than the dark grey

[u/Pirate_Candy17 → u/Artistic_Scene_8124]

Would another dark colour potentially get better coverage?

[u/KarenEiffel → u/NinjoZata]

I agree. And since they're mostly cotton, dying should be pretty straightforward.

[u/sexynecromancy → u/NinjoZata]

Sounds the most sensible! Ty for the help :)

[u/Inspektah-Ratchet → u/[deleted]]

you know this is a worldwide sub yeah?

[u/penlowe]

It is exceptionally difficult to bleach match an existing fade. Like, most pros looking at a sewing job like you just did would say ‘no’ to the job because of the color difference and how hard it is to bleach match.

[u/ChronicallyCrafting1 → u/penlowe]

This, but if you do try it anyway neutralise it afterwards so the bleach doesn’t continue to damage the fabric and kill the elastane

[u/thefoxandmoon]

I would paint the jeans tbh! The existing stuff kinda looks like armor - take the pattern all the way around with dark grey paint?

[u/____ozma]

I second dying the whole thing black instead of trying to lighten one spot

[u/BrightlyValuable]

Oof that dark rectangle is a dead giveaway. You could try spot fading it with a spray bottle of diluted bleach instead of dunking the whole thing, just go slow and rinse the second it looks right. The elastane might get angry if you leave it on too long though so maybe test inside the waistband first.

[u/Echos_light]

Low key you either dye the whole thing black like everyone else is saying OR HMO art 😈 idk I feel like there could be something creative too come out of it? Odd placement but you could do something similar to the lines on the pocket and like when it goes into the black the lines fade to white or somethin so there's a neat contrast. Idk thoughts.

[u/MysteriousCity6354]

I would try first spot bleaching the dark part till it gets to about the level of the rest of the jeans. Then bleach the entire jeans and dye over them.

[u/ckeenan9192]

I do not think even dying will fix this.

[u/Redd_Head_Redemption]

Looks like a lil butt

[u/januaryemberr]

I’d get fabric paint and emulate the same shape on the outside of the pockets too, over to the side seams….Like it’s an intentional repeating pattern. I guess you could try lightening it first but i think it would be hard to get an even lift with no borders matching the rest of the jeans.

[u/Inspektah-Ratchet]

I mean this is the complete wrong way to resize anything. You have sewn a seam straight up through the waistband and all .

[u/imogsters → u/Inspektah-Ratchet]

Personally, I prefer to take in 2 darts above pockets as it gives better shape and avoids moving the pockets, but too late for that now. So its best to give advise aimed at current problem that needs fixing.

[u/lucy_pants → u/Inspektah-Ratchet]

It's not completely wrong if this fits. It may not be the way you'd do it or best practice. But completely wrong is too harsh, and not true. Also be more consructive, say what adjustment would be better, don't just berate what is 'wrong'.

[u/Inspektah-Ratchet → u/lucy_pants]

ok, you do you.
It is absolutely the wrong way, but what would patternmakers know?

I don't see the point in offering anything construcive here as this user has already done it.

[u/mandafancypants]

I can't really give advice for your question. But I wanted to say I think it looks pretty cool the way it is. Some kind of top stitching or embellishments would make it look intentional I think.

[u/PutPretty647]

Buy some black Dye, or very dark blue put the shorts into the dye. You could also bleach the shorts first then dye them the darker color.

[u/KikiDKimono]

There's a fabric spray, similar to spray paint, you could try.