We made another doggy DIY—this time a technicolor leash for Emmett. That face demanded something bright and fun, so we turned a simple cotton rope leash into a rainbow-striped accessory with easy tie-dye techniques. The result feels nostalgic, like a 90s summer-camp craft, and it’s surprisingly simple to recreate at home.
Supplies
- Cotton rope leash (we used a 6-foot cotton rope leash)
- Tie-dye kit with squeeze bottles
- Separate bowls (one for each color)
- Protective gloves and plastic covering for your workspace
How to make a technicolor rope leash
- Prepare the dye. Follow the tie-dye kit instructions to mix dye into the squeeze bottles. If you want slightly softer colors, transfer some dye into bowls and dilute with water—about a 1 part dye to 3 parts water ratio worked well for us.
- Plan your color sections. Decide how many colors you want and how long each section should be based on the leash length. For a six-foot leash we used six colors, roughly 10 inches per color.
- Protect your workspace and wear gloves. Lay down plastic to protect surfaces. Start at the handle end and dip the rope into the first color’s bowl, keeping it submerged for about one minute so the dye soaks in evenly.
- Move on to the next color. Remove the rope from the first color and dip the next section. Allow adjacent colors to touch slightly—this creates a soft ombre where the hues blend. Having a second person hold up already-dyed sections helps prevent excess bleeding between colors.
- Repeat for every color. Continue dyeing each section until the full leash is covered. Once finished, let the dye set for at least eight hours (or follow your kit’s recommended setting time) before rinsing and washing thoroughly in the sink.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
On Me: shirt | jeans | heels
Warning: be prepared for compliments—many people will stop to tell you how cute your leash (and dog) looks.
For more colorful projects, try tie-dye s’mores or a DIY emoji dog bed for your pup.