Tie-Dye Tips To Try This Summer

By Janey Dike on July 29, 2014

Looking for a creative way to spend a sunny, summer afternoon? Why not test your tie-dye skills?

Not only is it a way to add some spunk to your visibly old white clothing, but it’s an exciting group activity as well. You can get a few friends together, bond with your siblings, or really impress the kids you are babysitting.

It’s also a great team or camp activity to participate in. You’ll get to share a memory and end up with matching shirts as a keepsake.

Image via sequelmagazine.org

There are all kinds of tie-dye kits out there with various color schemes and dozens of ideas for techniques and patterns. Some techniques are easier than others, but depending on your skill level, you can even make shapes and letters.

Wherever your imagination takes you when tie-dying, you’ll need some basic supplies:

*white or light colored cloth (shirts, dresses, socks, bandannas, etc.)

*dye

*rubber bands

*rubber gloves

*bucket with water

*dye bottles or spray bottles

*plastic bag

*(possibly) salt for enhanced color

Most of these supplies can be found in tie-dye kits, which are sold at craft stores and superstores.

Getting Ready to Tie-Dye: 

In order for the dye to work as effectively as possible and create bold, vibrant colors, use natural fabrics (ex. 100 percent cotton, silk). As mentioned above, tie-dyeing doesn’t have to be limited to just t-shirts. One popular idea for college students is to dye their pillowcases and bedsheets since they are moving into a new room with new decor.

Anyone with tie-dyeing experience knows how messy it can be. Before you start, make sure to lay out a plastic sheet or tablecloth for your workspace and put on rubber gloves. Add water to the dye bottles until all of the dye is dissolved. The dye to water ratio will affect the intensity of the color.

Tie-Dye Options:

The options for tie-dye designs are endless, but here are few of the most common techniques.

To get the bullseye effect, pinch the shirt (or other fabric) at the center and pull up. Tie rubber bands around the shirt every few inches until you get the number of sections you want.

From there, fill in the sections with the dye colors of your choice. If you want to get fancier, you can create several small bullseye patterns on the shirt at once.

“Bullseye Effect”
Image via slisen.blogspot.com

The spiral effect for tie-dye is a little more complicated, but worth the effort. Pinch the fabric wherever you want the spiral to start. It is easiest to start in the middle.

Twist the fabric until you have a round spiral, almost like a rose. Use rubber bands to hold the shape. Add color to the sections created by the rubber band.

What makes the spiral a little trickier is having to keep the shape and having to keep adding color. Because the cloth is so wrapped up in layers, it can be hard to get color everywhere.

Just covering the outside will result in a disappointing amount of color. Make sure to pull back layers and add more dye than you initially think you need.

“Spiral Effect”
Image via familyeverafterblog.com

Ombre has been in fashion everywhere, from nails to hair to clothing. You can create this effect while tie-dyeing using one of two methods.

The first way involves squirting dye along the bottom of the fabric and using a wet paintbrush to spread the color up. This creates a gradual color change.

The other technique involves using a container of dye large enough to fit your material in. Create horizontal sections on the shirt by using a pencil to make a mark every few inches down the fabric. Dip the entire shirt into the dye for just a few seconds.

For the second dip, keep the top section out of the dye but allow the rest to get covered. Continue dipping less and less sections of the shirt into the dye and extending the time spent in the dye for each section.

The last section should soak in the dye for at least ten minutes to make sure it is the darkest layer.

“Ombre Effect”
Image via Pinterest.com

If you want a crumpled “hot lava” look, you’re in luck with this simple method. Lay your fabric flat and begin scrunching it into a mound.

Making sure that there is still a clear top and bottom side, pinch and crinkle the material until it is gathered in a circular shape (no need for rubber bands).

Add the amount of dye that you want to the top side before flipping it over and adding dye to the back.

“Crumple Effect”
Image via Etsy.com

Wrapping it Up:

Once you have applied all of the desired dye, wrap the finished product in plastic wrap or seal in a plastic bag. This gives the dye time to soak into the fabric without drying out. For best results, let the material sit overnight or for at least 12 hours.

When it’s time to take the tie-dye out of the plastic, rinse the material out under a running faucet until the water runs clear through it. You can also take off any rubber bands you used at this time.

After all of the excess dye is rinsed away, throw the tie-dye in the washer. It’s smart to wash the tie-dye on its own for the first few washes in case there is still some dye that hasn’t soaked in completely.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format