Dye Your Own Towels!

I've been in need of new towels...for a while. Even if I wasn't in NEED of new towels. I am always in WANT. Unfortunately, towels are apparently now spun from gold fibers because they are ridiculously expensive! I don't want one towel. I want many. Therefore, buying the pretty colored ones from the store just won't do. What now, brown cow?

I am a recent member of Sam's Club (similar to Costco, BJ's and other bulk stores) and on a recent excursion I came across the motherload of home supplies. Technically they are marketed towards restaurants and hotels, but I like to eat in restaurants and stay in hotels so I'm sure they will work for me too :) Among these delicacies, were huge packs of towels and washcloths for CHEAP! Unfortunately they only come in white and a bland blue. And the blue is more expensive. Who really wants white towels though? Really, bleach can only go so far. The solution? Buy a ton of cheap white towels and washcloths and dye them!

8-pack of Bath Towels: $25
25-pack of Wash Cloths: $15
2 bottles RIT Liquid Dye: $6 (available at WalMart)
so for under $50 dollars, I ended up with (if you count them as $10/towel and $2/cloth which is lenient!) $130 dollars worth of designer colored towels! Sometimes, I impress myself.

I am hooked on the idea of dying my own linens now! Tea towels, sheets, plain white T's, the possibilities are endless!

And RIT's website is amazing. They have color recipe charts and directions for the different ways of dying!

I used 1 bottle of Kelly Green and 1 bottle of Royal blue and ended up with a really nice sage green color. It is very important that you pre-mix the dyes in two cups of hot water before adding to the washing machine (there are other dye methods, but this one was the most convenient for me) to avoid splotchy coloring. Soak the towels and wash cloths in hot water before adding to the washing machine. Make sure the water level is set high enough to allow free movement of the towels or fabric. If your washer has an extended cycle setting, use it. If not, just keep an eye on the cycle and keep turning it back to "wash" for at least 30 minutes before you let it spin. I ran the towels through a regular wash cycle with detergent afterward to ensure the dye was completely rinsed out. Dry as normal, but make sure to clean your lint trap! These towels are very fluffy and will put out a lot of fuzz!

I can't wait to try this on more towels and more fabrics. This is a must-try for everyone! Post your color combinations and results in the comments!