DIY: Over-dyed Rug

I bought this great Kilim rug on etsy a couple months ago: 

When it arrived, it was a little more off-white/cream than the photos showed. I am digging the pattern, but some of the colors clash with the motif I'm going for in my bedroom. 

I am in love with over-dyed rugs. (Join the club, right?) So after lots of debate on whether or not I would want to tackle this type of DIY project, I made the plunge. 

I was a bit nervous because:

a) I don't want to ruin a cool rug.

b) I have never dyed anything before. I've never even made/owned a tie-dye shirt. 

c) What if my washing machine or bathtub turns hot pink?!

But, as what usually happens when I try something new, I thought, "Eh, what the heck. Let's do it."

Supplies:

- Rug (Make sure the materials are able to take dye. Mine was a wool/cotton blend.)

- Dye

- Bleach

Step 1: Bleach the rug

I wanted the rug to be as vibrant as possible, but still have the pattern show through. The dye package directions said color mixing rules applied. I didn't want the cream parts to look orange, so I figured, if the rug is lighter, the dye will stand out more.

I placed the rug in the bathtub with enough water to let it move freely. I added 3/4 bottle of bleach and let it soak over night.

When the rug was done soaking, into the washing machine it went for a quick wash.

Step 2: Dye 

I dyed using the washing machine method and just followed the directions on the package. I used 2 packages of Dylon in Flamingo Pink. Looked like a bit of a blood bath. 

This was the result:

It was defintely lighter from the bleach, but the pink barely showed up. No thanks. So...

Step 2.5: Re-Dye

I figured adding red might give me more of the bright pink hue I was looking for. So I threw the rug in the washing machine again with 4 packages of Rit dye (2 in Scarlet, 2 in Fuchsia).

And TA-DA here's what Rit will give you: a hot pink washing machine (gonna have to work on that issue...) and a bright pink rug!

I'm hoping that it will fade slightly after a few more washes, but I'm still happy with the results! 

Cost:

2'7" x 5' Rug, $48

Dylon Dye, $5.98

Rit Dye, $12

Bleach, $0

Total: $65.98