About Tie Dyeing
Tie dyeing is a resist method of dyeing and works by tightly tying the portions of fabric together which are not to be dyed before immersion in a dye bath. Decorative fabric arts are an often overlooked section in the crafts arena but many may find the origin, types and patterns of interest.
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History
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Francis J. Kafka, in her book "The Hand Decoration of Fabrics" mentions that garments simply dyed with indigo have been found in Thebes, dating back to 3,500 B.C. Decorated textiles did not appear until the 8th and 9th centuries in the Orient in the form of block printing. Batik dyeing was the first resist type process similar to tie dyeing and involves molten wax applied to certain areas of the fabric before immersion in dye. The wax is removed afterward. It is not certain if this process originated in China or India as 1,200 year old examples of this process have been found in both places. It is still practiced daily for clothing in Indonesia.
Tie Dye as it is currently known is practiced predominantly on the island of Bali in Central India but the practice has spread into many industrialized countries. In the United States in the 1960's and 1970's it became a popular trend. The Vermont-based ice cream company Ben & Jerry's, has used tie dye in the design of their signature T-shirts.
Significance
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Unlike the Batik method, tie dyeing allows the tied up fabric to be boiled in the dye and this means more vivid colors. Tie dyeing is a fun activity for any one no matter their age and can brighten up any piece of fabric. Tie dying parties are even a popular occurrence among high school to college age people.
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Types
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There are many methods of tying string or twine on and around a piece of fabric prior to dyeing. Three simple variations of tying are the rosette technique, the broad stripe and the fine repeat. The rosette pattern is created by tying several bands around a bunch of fabric that has been gathered circularly. When the ties are removed after boiling in dye, a sort of bull's-eye pattern is the result. The broad stripe is created by rolling the entire piece of fabric and tying bands at an equal or unequal distance apart for white stripes in between the dye. The fine repeat is done by tying small bunches of fabric together wherever desired while the fabric lays flat. Usually these are done on a grid pattern of some sort but there is infinite room for creativity in tie dyeing. There are also the popular spiral patterns or V patterns and unique one-time designs that people create on an individual basis.
Features
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Many tie dye kits are manufactured with all of the necessary supplies, dyes and tools needed. Many also supply a T-shirt in the kit. These are easier for kids or someone just tie dying one time. A variety of dyes have been used over the years such as vegetable dyes, animal and mineral dyes but most modern dyes are made of aniline, derived from coal tar which when chemically treated and sometimes mixed with a mordant create a broad range of colors.
Size
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Tie dyeing can be done to any size fabric large enough to be pinched and folded in at least one section. T-shirts are a very popular item to tie dye as are bed sized linens and wall hangings. There is no limit really to how large a tie dyed piece of fabric can be.
Considerations
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Large pieces of fabric can be dyed to make such things as drapes, slip covers or dresses and for this Francis J. Kafka, in her book "The Hand Decoration of Fabrics" suggests sketching out the desired design on a sheet of paper with soft colored chalk to block in the color patterns. Such projects require more string, tying and dye as well as a larger dyeing vessel.
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