How to Make a Stick Horse With Tie Dye
Tie dye isn't just for t-shirts. Any fabric you can dye, you can tie dye, and the finished fabric may be used like any other for craft projects. This stick horse project gives the traditional child's toy a colorful twist. If you're not experienced with tie dye, look for a kit that includes all of the fixers and dyes you need at craft stores or online.
Things You'll Need
- 1 yard white cotton fabric
- Heavy duty rubber bands
- Bucket
- Sodium carbonate fixer
- Dye powder
- Urea
- Pitcher
- Squeeze bottle
- Newspaper
- Plastic bag
- 1 1/2-inch diameter dowel or broomstick
- Newsprint
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine
- Cotton batting
- Felt
- Hot glue gun
- Yarn
- Needle and thread
Instructions
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Tie Dye the Fabric
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1
Mix 1 1/2 cups of sodium carbonate fixer and 2 gallons of water in a 5-gallon bucket and stir to dissolve with a wooden spoon. Place the cotton fabric in the bucket and push it into the fixer with the spoon. Soak the fabric for one hour.
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2
Remove the fabric from the fixer and wring it out. Lay the damp fabric on newspaper. Twist the fabric into a long rope. Tie a knot in the rope approximately every 6 inches. Wrap rubber bands around the knots and on each end of the fabric.
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3
Mix your dye with the urea as directed on the package. A basic dye recipe combines 1 tbsp. urea per cup of water, plus 4 tsp. dye powder. Mix the urea with the water first; then add the dye powder and stir until it's dissolved. Pour the dye into a squeeze bottle.
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4
Squirt the dye on the fabric until it's well covered on both sides. Use all one color, or apply two or more colors one color at a time on different sections of the fabric.
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5
Place the dyed fabric in a plastic bag and allow it to sit overnight.
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6
Rinse the still-tied fabric under running water until it runs clear. Remove the rubber bands and untie the fabric under running water. Continue to rinse until the water runs clear again. Machine wash and dry the fabric.
Making the Stick Horse
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7
Sketch an 18-inch-high horse profile on a sheet of newsprint. It can be very simple — similar to a sock shape, with the curved foot as the horse's head. Cut out the outline.
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8
Fold the dry tie dyed fabric in half with the outside facing in. Place the horse head pattern on top and pin it in place. Cut around the pattern so you have two tie-dyed shapes.
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9
Sew around the sides of the horse head shape, 1/4 inch from the edge. Leave about 3 inches open at the bottom. Pull the fabric through the opening so the seam is on the inside. Stuff the horse head with cotton batting until it's firm.
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10
Push the one end of the dowel or broomstick into the opening at the bottom of the stuffed horse head. Hand sew the opening shut on either side of the stick. Hot glue the remaining open area of the fabric to the stick. Allow the glue to cool, and apply a second layer if necessary.
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11
Cut eyes and ears out of felt and glue them to the sides of the horse head. Cut the yarn into 6 inch pieces. Bunch four pieces of yarn together and place the center point of the bunch on the back of the horse head. Sew a double stitch around the center point to attach the yarn; then tie it off with a double knot. Repeat with additional bunches of yearn until the horse head has a full mane.
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1
Tips & Warnings
For ideas on how to create specific tie dye designs with twists and folds, refer to the instructions with your kit or a book on tie dye techniques.
If the horse head is loose, staple the bottom to the stick with heavy-duty staples.
Always wear rubber gloves when working with fixer and dyes.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
