DETROIT – A local tie dye shop is offering a workshop this weekend to honor a former customer who lost his battle to cancer.
At Detroit Dye House, you can buy just about anything. But it was one item in particular that caught the eye of a young customer and because of that, a bond was formed.
Among all of items being tie dyed, they’re dying beanies.
“We really made them for running in the wintertime, something lightweight. That wasn’t as popular. We all enjoyed them but we really didn’t sell forward,” said Tammy Bourque, owner of Detroit Dye House.
Not until just before the pandemic when Bran Tolhurst, a young boy battling cancer, visited the shop and fell in love with its colorful beanies.
“He came here to do a tie dye class but we had the beanies for sale, and he didn’t have any hair so they were perfect, and he bought a couple and they loved them,” Bourque said.
Bourque saw a need for them among cancer patients
“We’ve heard great comments. It’s fashionable, it makes people who don’t feel good, feel a little better,” she said.
After becoming close with Bran and his family through frequent visits to the shop, the owners were heartbroken when they learned Bran lost his battle to cancer last year. Detroit Dye House wanted to do something to remember him and help other children fighting cancer.
“We thought we would teach tie dye classes. We’re sending them up in multiple stations. People will learn several techniques with all different palettes. We hope to make 300 hats,” said Bourque.
All of the hats will be donated to Children’s Hospital of Michigan.
“The intention of making something for children and children who are sick, it changes the art process. You do not rush through it, you take your time, you know you want it to be beautiful and beautiful makes people feel better,” Bourque said.
The event will be on Sunday, Oct. 24. Click here for more information.
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