Tie-Dyed Socks on our Feet

Nobody, and I mean nobody, matches socks around here.

A giant hamper of clean socks lives in the closet. When my partner and I need clean socks, we dig through the hamper until we find a matching pair--it's very annoying. The kids are far less troubled, since when they need clean socks, they simply dig through the hamper until they find two socks that fit--no matching necessary, apparently. Well, the little kid, who is our clothes horse, does tend to search until she finds two "pretty" socks, but again, they definitely won't match.

For a long time it's been my dream to make sock matching an occupation of the past. To that end, for the past year or so I've allowed our sock supply to dwindle drastically, neglecting to replace holey or outgrown socks, until we each have just a few left. Then, I restocked us all with plain white socks from Dharma Trading Company.

Then, I set up the fabric dye in squeeze bottles--

--and spent an afternoon on the living room carpet with the kids tying off socks with rubber bands, and then we dragged them all outside and off we went:

The kids each also tie-dyed white turtlenecks, hand-me-downs from an acquaintance that had just a couple of light stains on them, because yes, I accept free stuff even if it's messed up. That's how my kids will be wearing tie-dyed turtlenecks this winter!

My poor partner arrived home from work that afternoon to the horror of a backyard full of fabric dye and mess and just more mess. I won't say that he was thrilled to jump in, but he let himself be persuaded to join in the family mess-making artistry. 

I know you're supposed to wear gloves and all, but I don't like the feel of them, and what am I supposed to do with the kids? Encase them in head-to-toe plastic aprons like serial killers wear to chop up their prey?

Eh, we were just colorful for a while:

I let the socks fester in plastic bags in the yard for 24 hours, then gave them a good rinse--look how pretty!

And after a wash and a dry, we have a new season of socks!

P.S. If you want the fun of tie-dye without the mess, try tie-dyeing coffee paper filters with markers!

P.P.S. Love family-friendly crafts? Then you'll love my Craft Knife Facebook page!