How to Do an Accordion Tie Dye Shirt

The accordion variety is only one of many types of tie-dye styles.

Whether you're wanting to breathe new life into an old shirt or dyeing a new one, accordion-style tie-dyeing is an easy way to achieve a dramatic tie-dye effect with few materials and little effort. When tie-dyeing, it's important to remember that natural fibers -- such as cotton or wool -- soak up the dye best and that synthetic fibers may resist the dying process. Also, use natural, environmentally friendly dyes whenever possible.

Things You'll Need

• White shirt
• Clothes pins
• Die colors of your choice
• One plastic bucket for each dye

Instructions

1. Rinse the shirt in cold water and wring any excess water out, leaving the fabric slightly damp.

2. Fold the shirt diagonally and tuck the sleeve in so the shirt appears to be a neat triangle of cloth.

3. Accordian fold the top half of the shirt, neatly creating even pleats roughly 1.5 or 2 inches in length.

4. Turn the shirt over and finish pleating the shirt from the other side, until you have the shirt folded into a neat, narrow and tall pile.

5. Clamp the pleats into place with the clothes pins, placing one roughly every 3 to 4 inches on each side, staggering them if necessary.

6. Begin soaking your shirt briefly in the dyes of your choice.

7. Rinse the shirt in cool water afterward, until the water runs clear.

8. Launder the shirt alone in warm water with detergent, rinse again and allow to dry.

References

• Tie-Dye Wiki; Clamped Accordion Fold;
• Rit Dye; Accordion T-Shirt; 2011