How to Tie-Dye Multiple Colors

How do they do that? Those bright-colored T-shirts are fun to make and not so tough, either. Here's how it's done.

Things You'll Need

• Dyes
• Clothesline
• Clothespins
• Heavy-duty Threads
• Plastic Drop Cloths Or Old Newspapers
• Salt
• Rubber Gloves
• Measuring Spoons
• Stockpots
• Rubber Bands
• T-shirts
• Rubber bands

Instructions

1. Wash the fabric to prepare it for dyeing.

2. Tie the damp fabric into rosettes or other types of knots or twists. (See Related eHows.)

3. Fill a squeeze bottle with undiluted liquid dye. Picnic-type ketchup and mustard bottles are great for this.

4. Begin with the dark colors and work up to the light ones.

5. Squeeze the first color onto a section of the fabric and let it sit for a few minutes.

6. Rinse the project under cool running water. Leave all of the ties in place.

7. Apply the next color to another section and rinse as before.

8. Repeat until you're satisfied.

9. Make a dye bath for the final color ' typically yellow or another light color.

10. Mix 1/2 c. liquid dye (or 1 package of powdered) in 1 quart of hot water. Dissolve 5 tbsp. of table salt in it. You may have to double this for extra-large T-shirts and sweatshirts.

11. Put the fabric (still tied) in the dye and let it soak for at least 25 minutes.

12. Rinse the cloth in cold water until the water runs clear.

13. Undo the knots and rinse it again.

14. Hang the fabric up to dry out of the sun.

Tips & Warnings

• Add more rubber bands at any time during the dyeing for more interesting results.

• Wear gloves when working with dyes.

• For some types of fabric dyes, you'll need to presoak the fabric in a soda ash solution. Read the instructions on the packaging.

• When red is adjacent to green, blue is next to orange, or yellow blends with purple, you'll end up with a muddy, brownish color.

• Launder your tie-dyed article separately; colors will bleed for the first several washes.