How To Color Clothespins!

If you like using clothespins in your crafting here’s a fast way to color a lot of them at once! We’ve got detailed instructions for you along with examples. Ü blank630x20

Color your clothespins easily with these methods! You can then use them for a huge variety of crafts and useful items!  I’ve dyed them, hand painted them and spray painted them.  Dying is is by far the easiest method in my opinion,   but the other ways work fine too.blank630x20

blank630x20How To Color Clothespins : Dying

This is the easiest way to color clothespins. You can do a bunch at a time and it covers them wonderfully plus you don’t’ have to take them apart which can be a pain. I’ve used regular food coloring which gives more of a stained looked. That can work depending on what you’re after.  Rit Dye gives a much deeper and more vibrant color.

 

 Food coloring or Rit Dye each give a unique look depending on what you are after.

If you like using clothespins in your crafting here’s a fast way to color a lot of them at once! We’ve got detailed instructions for you along with examples. Ü

blank After soaking, drain, rinse well and lay to dry on paper towels. FYI: Never used dyed clothespins to actually hang wet clothes. The dye will come off on them!

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If you like using clothespins in your crafting here’s a fast way to color a lot of them at once! We’ve got detailed instructions for you along with examples. Üblank

If you like using clothespins in your crafting here’s a fast way to color a lot of them at once! We’ve got detailed instructions for you along with examples. Ü
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How To Color Clothespins : Painting

You can take the clothespins apart and paint if desired. It’s a bit of work in order to cover all sides and I found it tedious as I struggled to get them back together. I also tried painting over everything and not taking it apart. I painted the tops and sides and let it dry then I opened it up and painted under the part that clamps together. I then stuck a toothpick in so it would dry and the paint would not stick together. It depends on your patience and how much time you want to spend as to whether this method is for you.

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How To Color Clothespin

66 Comments

        1. Nancy Author

          Ahhh…. In all honesty this post is a few years old. I don’t remember adding those things. Wouldn’t hurt I guess but for this purpose I don’t think I did.

          Reply
    1. Stacey

      Sharon the salt is added when dying clothes to make the color absorb better. I’ve used the denim dye for years to salvage faded jeans, and adding the salt helped to keep the color from fading or bleeding. As for the wooden clothespins, the salt isn’t necessary because the wood is already porous.

      Reply
  1. Deb

    Wonderful idea and comments. Once dyed I think I might soak in a wood petrifier solution I previously purchased when making paper beads. This would waterprood the clothespins. Thank you for this idea Nancy.

    Reply
  2. Beth Isum

    I like the idea of dying the clothes pins. I made several wreaths a couple of years ago and my husband helped me paint them. We strung up a line, put up a bunch of pins, then spray painted them doing one color at a time. Since we painted them all it didn’t matter that the metal was painted because all of it was. If I were to make another one I think I would try dying just for the different look.

    Reply
  3. Becky

    Hi ,
    first of all I wanna say I absolutely loved the ease of dying them. I made my patriotic wreath hand painting each and everyone that was a pain!
    I’ve made my subsequent Halloween/ fall and Christmas ones with Dyeing and so much easier ! thank you for this.

    I have found where you can get white ones and one thing to keep in mind as the clothes pins nowadays come in many sizes so make sure that if you buy these White ones that the other ones are the same size
    and added bonus is that it doesn’t color the hardware.

    I I don’t understand why people are concerned about that
    I just assume have it colored so it’s all consistent .
    Here is the link ( wasn’t sure if it was OK to put links on your blog if not just remove it )
    https://www.consumercrafts.com/store/details/catalog/party-decorations-and-accessories/30029601

    Reply
    1. Nancy Author

      Hi Becky!
      Thank you so much for the detailed comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. The link is fine. Appreciate you sharing the info. Ü

      Reply
  4. Staci

    Hi, if I use the Rit Dye (which I prefer since it’s the easiest) is there something I can use to seal the color in, so it won’t fade?

    Reply
    1. Nancy Author

      Hi Anne! You know I’ve never tried that… in fact I don’t think you can buy “white” dye… Rit only has a “whitener” for clothes. Because the dye is actually staining them, I doubt it would work. I just painted mine white. Ü

      Reply
  5. CHERYL WHITTAKER

    I want to use colored clothespins at a Gender Reveal party. The guests will wear the blue or pink clothespin to show which team they are on. So they will put on their clothes. Will the dye come off on their clothes? Just wondering if I should spray paint instead. Love the idea of dyeing!

    Reply
    1. Nancy Author

      Hi Cheryl! Well I had to do a little research on that. This is what I found on one gals blog. After dying the clothespins, rinse them then spread them out in the sun to dry. The gals said she’s never had problems with bleeding BUT if you want an added precaution you can do an added step of soaking them in vinegar for about 2 minutes AFTER you dyed them. (kind of like you do with Easter Eggs to set the color) THEN put them in the sun. Just make sure they are dried thoroughly. A day should do it if its sunny.
      Good luck and thanks so much for stopping by!
      Nancy

      Reply
  6. Anonymous

    This actually works best with food coloring if you put about 1/2 bottle of food coloring in a flat bottom container and omit the vinegar. Put clothes pins in and swirl around for a few minutes and then cover with water and let sit for a few hours. Omitting vinegar allows the metal to stay silver.

    Reply
  7. Greg Stirn

    Does anyone have a way to dye the clothes pins white. I have dyed the blue and red for a patriotic wreath, but im trying to avoid paining the white wons. Thanks for any suggestions. I like the Rit dyed as the dye doesnt cover up the hardware. Any help ? ?

    Reply
    1. Nancy Author

      I’m afraid the only way I know to do it is to spray paint them. But that does color the hardware… unless you take them apart which would be a pretty big chore! I even tried searching to buy white ones and all I could find had the hardware colored white too. (Guess folks who sell them have the same problem.) Maybe someone else will come up with a way to do that. Hope you can find something that works for you Greg!

      Reply
  8. I never thought of using RIT dye – that’s a great idea!! I tried food coloring, and it just didn’t seem like it stained it enough. Definitely going to try this!! Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Anonymous

      This actually works best with food coloring if you put about 1/2 bottle of food coloring in a flat bottom container and omit the vinegar. Put clothes pins in and swirl around for a few minutes and then cover with water and let sit for a few hours. Omitting vinegar allows the metal to stay silver.

      Reply

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