How can I dye shoes with a textile upper?
It depends on what the textile is. Different textiles require different dye methods. The easiest, most reliable method for the home-user is to colour in the shoes with fabric dye markers (available from various craft or art supply stores, or online), or permanent Sharpie markers (make sure they’re genuine Sharpies, because the inks in lookalikes and other brands are not colourfast). Be sure the shoes are clean, because the ink won’t apply evenly over any dirt or oil. And wear gloves, because you’ll have to saturate the fabric of the shoes with the dye/ink, and it will stain your hands. When you start, do a small test application in an area that won’t really show, and let it dry, because the colour will be lighter when it’s dry. If you like what you see, then go ahead and colour the rest of the shoes. If you don’t like what you see, be glad you did the test first! As a costumer, I’ve coloured a pair of 1700s-style jacquard mules with a big black Sharpie, and the results were excellent.
