We have an expansive selection of high-quality footwear made by brands you know and love, including women’s running shoes, casual shoes, sandals, hiking shoes, rain boots and slippers. No matter if you’re in search of a new pair of all-terrain hiking sneakers for your next camping adventure or need a cute pair of high-quality flip-flops for the beach, SCHEELS online store is your go-to source. SCHEELS only sells trusted footwear brands that use high-quality materials, including Nike, Under Armour, ASICS, UGG, Brooks, KEEN, Birkenstock, Hunter and Minnetonka. Our selection of women’s hiking shoes and women’s athletic shoes includes a broad range of styles designed to help you find the appropriate footwear for your sport of choice. SCHEELS shoes for women often qualify for free shipping on orders over $50, so stock up today and save big.Show All ItemsLets dye our shoes! They are a boring color, and we crave something new and custom. Fortunately, leather dyes easily, resulting in a vibrant, permanent change.
For this instructable, we will be brush-dyeing two pairs of assembled shoes. This is a bit time consuming, but will result in a hand-painted look that can't be matched by vat or dip dyeing.I've selected a pair of Frye boots that I wasn't wearing much. They are "pre-distressed", but I wanted to give them a fresh new look. The second is a pair of Oak Street Bootmakers Trench Oxfords in Natural CXL. They are great quality shoes, but I wasn't a fan of the color. I was inspired by the work of the master craftsmen at Moto JP who hand dye beautiful shoes and I wanted to give it a shot.First - the cardinal rules of dyeing.All dye projects are experimental. Dye can be unpredictable, and all materials react slightly differently to the dye. There is no way to perfectly predict the results. We can do some things to make the dye more consistent, but do not dye something that you can't bear to damage, and keep an open mind - the end result may not be exactly what you wanted, but you might still love it.
Dye is not paint - it cannot cover anything up. Dyeing leather is like applying very thin layers of colored cellophane - each coat will darken the color, and mix with the colors below it. You cannot dye something a lighter color! If you want to dye a shoe that is tan, don't think "this blue dye will make it blue" think "this blue dye will make it tan+blue colored". That mix may look great, or it may not. The dyes used for this project are totally permanent. If you add dye to an area that you didn't intend - you are screwed (or you can just change plans and dye that area darker!).This project is not suitable for younger children, but children who can use paints without spilling, and know not to put brushes or colorful liquids in their mouth could join in with adult supervision. The dyes are not especially toxic, but are alcohol and acetone based and should not be consumed or put on bare skin.With that in mind, lets get started.Step 1: What You Will NeedShow All ItemsYou will need a few special supplies that you will probably have to order:Leather preparer and deglazer.
I am using Angelus Leather Preparer, which works quite well. You could also use Acetone, or various Saphir products. The purpose is to strip the original outer finish off the shoe. I am using Angelus leather dye, which is alcohol based. Alcohol based dyes dry very quickly, are easy to apply, and result in vivid colors. I recommend them over oil or water based dyes for these projects. Saphir also has a line of alcohol based dyes that look great, but are not generally available in the US, so I haven't tried them. You want a good quality polish to rebuild the finish after dyeing. I recommend Meltonian Cream Polish and Kiwi Polish. Saphir products are also great. Get the "neutral" color, rather than a tinted polish.These dyes are intended for use on natural smooth leather, though Angelus sells a suede specific version, and in my case, the smooth-leather dye generated satisfactory results on suede. Pleather, vinyl, plastic and fabric will not dye in a predictable way with these products.It is worth getting the right stuff from the beginning.
You may be able to find some "leather dyes" at your local hardware store or craft store, but don't skimp - these alcohol based dyes are a bit trickier to use, but produce much better results. Many stores won't sell them due to overblown safety concerns (just don't drink it or wipe it on your body or huff it). The other bonus is that Angelus dyes are very reasonably priced - one of the rare situations when the right product for the job is actually the cheapest!There are a few great suppliers for these dyes and supplies. and had great service.You will also need some general purpose supplies, available locally:A workspace you can get dirty (remember, the dye is permanent) A few rags you can get dirty A few small plastic cups or containers with lids Latex or nitrile gloves, if you don't want your hands turning the color of your project Brush cleaner for oil or lacquer based paints Quality masking tape (blue or green) Small paint brushes, I like a 1/2" angled shader brush Scraps of similar colored leather, of the same type if you can get it Shoe polishing supplies - cloths for applying polish, horsehair brush for buffing