How to tie dye a shirt
Tie dying is an easy way to spice up a dull, cotton T-shirt. There are literally dozens of ways to do it. Here is a simple way that's good for beginners. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Urea powder
- Fabric dye
- Salt
- Water
- Squirt bottles
- Bowls
- Cotton shirts
- Plastic bags
- Rubber bands
- Rubber gloves
Instructions
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1
Wash the clothing beforehand. Clothing that has never been washed before sometimes does not hold dye very well.
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2
Mix water, urea and dye in either bowls or squirt bottles. Add about one tablespoon of urea per cup of water. Then, add as much dye as desired. As a general rule, the more dye you have, the brighter the color will be.
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3
Twist the shirt up. You can twist it in spirals, fold it, roll it, or whatever. Experiment.
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4
Secure the twists and folds with rubber bands. Double them over so that they stay tightly attached.
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5
Dye the shirt. If you are using squirt bottles, you can simply spray it. Otherwise, dip it in dye. Use different dyes in different areas to get the best effect.
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6
Wrap the shirt up in a plastic bag.
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7
Leave it sitting somewhere warm for at least 8 hours.
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8
Remove the rubber bands
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9
Particularly if you used cheap, all-purpose dye, you should wash the shirt in salt water to help fix the dye. After that, wash it normally in the washing machine.
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Dry the shirt.
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Tips & Warnings
Cheap, all-purpose dye will work, but higher quality dyes tend to set better and bleed less. Fiber-reactive dye is probably your best bet.
Clothing dye does not come out easily. Wear rubber gloves and clothes which you don't mind staining.
