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DIY Bleach Flannel Shirt for under $15

If you’ve been to any high end boutiques lately, chances are, you’ve seen bleach flannel shirts. They offer all types of designs. From the shape of our local high school mascot to our state’s shape, they have it all. While these shirts are absolutely adorable, who wants to cough up $80 for a FLANNEL SHIRT! (Hello, one income, here!) Lucky for you, creating your own DIY bleach shirt is as simple as you’d think!

Create your own DIY bleach flannel shirt for only $12! The possiblities are endless! #flannel #buffaloplaid #bleachshirt #refashion #cheapfashion #redo #tween #teen #groupcraft #easyproject

Super Cheap & Easy DIY Bleach Flannel Shirt

  •  Choose a flannel shirt to bleach. I went with a plaid button up that isn’t even made of flannel fabric. The shirt was lightweight and super cheap ($12 at WalMart!) I didn’t want to spend a lot of time and money on it, in case I screwed it up. Hey, it’s been known to happen around here. 😉 If you don’t want to run to WalMart, scroll down and check out the options available on Amazon for under $20!
  • Decide how high you want your bleach to go. I opted to go about 3 buttons up from the bottom. Next time I will go a little less, though. It’s completely a personal preference but I like less bleach.
  • Using a rubber band (or if you’re a homeschool mom like me, a pipecleaner because it’s what I had on hand), tie the bottom portion of the shirt. I didn’t want my bleach line straight across, so I loosely gathered it and it naturally created a jagged bleach line.
  • Fill one side of your sink with a little bit of water and a little bit of bleach. This isn’t scientific. I used about 2 cups of bleach and 4 cups of water, give or take. I knew I didn’t want to wait all day for my shirt to change, but I didn’t want the bleach so strong it would eat away at the shirt. Be sure to take into consideration the thickness of your shirt when deciding how much bleach to use.

Grab your supplies on Amazon!

  • Begin by dipping the shirt in as high as you want the bleach design. Let it sit for a bit until you see the colors start to change. Mine was pretty cute within 20 minutes of bleaching it. 
  • If you want a gradiated effect, pull the shirt out of the bleach a little bit. Allow the very bottom of the shirt to remain in the bleach water. This will pull even more color out, making it look slightly whiter than the rest of the bleached area. (I only did this for about 10 minutes because I didn’t want a huge ombre effect.)
  • Once you’re happy with the look of your shirt, remove it from the bleach water and rinse it thoroughly with water.
  • Fill the other side of your sink with half water, half vinegar and soak your shirt in it for at least 15 minutes. This stops the bleaching process, so your shirt will stay just as it is!

 

A Few Tips for Your DIY Bleach Flannel Shirt

  1. The water will start to look dirty, but don’t fret! It’s just the color being pulled out of the shirt by the bleach.
  2. If your shirt starts to float up, you can weigh it down with a glass jar, a spoon or whatever else is handy. Just lay it on the shirt to hold it all underwater. 
  3. I wanted my shirt to look a bit splotchy on top. I grabbed a handful of bleach water and sprinkled it near the pocket area. I really liked this look and will do it more to the next shirt I make.
  4. No need to take special care when washing your shirt! Heck, even if you splash a little bleach on it on accident, it’s not a big deal! 😉

In under an hour, you can have a trendy DIY bleach flannel. And for just a fraction of the price at local boutiques!

Create your own DIY bleach flannel shirt for only $12! The possiblities are endless! #flannel #buffaloplaid #bleachshirt #refashion #cheapfashion #redo #tween #teen #groupcraft #easyproject

Want your shirt delivered straight to your door? Check out Amazon for shirts under $20!