Tie dying is so much fun! Have you ever tried it? A few summers ago at camp I was a 'tie dye' specialist and taught it to all the girls every week all summer long. Since then I've wanted something that I could print and put in my
binder to have an easy refresher and something I can copy and pass out when needed.
Types of dye:
- Rit dye
- Store bought tie dye
- Spray paint
- Acrylic paint (mixed with water)
Ways to tie dye:
- Dye kits with bottles
- Dip dye
- Spray bottles
Things to tie dye:
Shirts, shorts, pants, socks, underwear, sheets,
pillow cases, towels, wash cloths, bags, scarves, bandannas, yarn, hats,
skirts, dresses, shoes, tights, banners, flags, stuffed animals, ties, pet beds,
table cloths, place mats, Christmas stockings, aprons, blankets, doll clothes,
hair accessories.
Other ways to tie dye:
- Write/draw with gel glue, let dry, dip in (one
color of) dye, wash and wear.
- Get a backwards tie dye look by using bleach on
colored shirts.
- Draw on a shirt with sharpies and use a spray
bottle of rubbing alcohol to spread.
Creating shapes:
- To create a shape (such as a heart), lightly
sketch the shape with a pencil on the fabric. Gather the fabric along the shape
and rubber band. Continue to rubber band down the fabric (like you would for a
bullseye).
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You can also sew a bit of thread loosely through
the shape, and once done, pull tight to group the fabric. Continue to rubber band as usual (including
over the thread).
Tips:
- Be creative!
- Use extra plastic, lots of extra plastic.
- Read all of the directions before starting. Each
brand/kit is different.
- When dying, look for white spots between the
folds. Your shirt may be too white if these are overlooked.
- The tighter the rubber bands, the whiter the
spots. If you don’t want any white, loosen rubber bands.
- Rinse out with the rubber bands on, at first, to
keep the white spots whiter.
- Rinse out until the water turns clear, then
rinse a bit more.
- Colors with red take longer to rinse out. (Red,
Purple, Orange)
- Vinegar/soda ash may help the color set
depending on what brand of dye you are using.
Check instructions to see if this is needed.
- Apply light colors first. This will help keep
darker colors from bleeding over later.
- Fabric that is made of natural fibers will dye
the best. (Cotton, silk, etc.)
Extra ideas:
- Have a tie dye party!
- Have everyone wear their tie dye on the same
day.
My favorite thing to do is to stencil my name on the back of my shirt.
Happy dyeing,
~Zigg