Things You'll Need:
- Clothes pins
- Needle and thread
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Step 1
Choose fiber reactive dyes made especially for tie dying. While many people tie dye with Rit dye, fiber reactive dyes are easier to use, do not bleed when washed and retain their color better. Always follow the package instructions for mixing, application and washing techniques.
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Step 2
Pre-wash your shirt in hot water to ensure that your colors set properly, as most shirts have invisible finishes which can prevent dye from setting properly. It is best to use white, 100 percent cotton shirts.
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Step 3
Purchase only four dye colors: black, yellow, red and blue. Black is difficult to mix from other colors and should be purchased separately. From the three primary colors you can mix a variety of other colors.
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Step 4
Prepare at least three plastic containers to hold your dye colors. You will need three containers for your primary colors and then extra containers for mixing other color options. Consider using a plain white cotton cloth for testing your colors, dropping a spoon full of dye on the cloth and adjusting as you desire.
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Step 5
Cover all of your work surfaces with plastic sheeting or garbage bags, as tie dying can get a bit messy. Work with rubber gloves to prevent multi-colored hands. Additionally, you will need multiple rubber bands for making your ties.
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Step 1
Mix your colors using color mixing rules. Remember that red and yellow make orange, yellow and blue make green and blue and red make purple. Mix your colors slowly and carefully, testing the colors on your white cloth and making a variety of shades as desired. Many people simply dip in one color and then another. It is better to premix your colors so that you do not taint your bold primary colors.
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Step 2
Make lines in your tie dye shirt by simply folding the fabric over itself like a fan. You can create horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines depending on the look you are going for. Once you have made all of your pleats, secure multiple rubber bands along the length of the shirt.
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Step 3
Create circles inside of circles by first gripping the fabric of the shirt where you want the smallest center circle to be and then pulling the shirt into a long tube. Wrap rubber bands around the shirt to hold the tube in place.
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Step 4
Scrunch the fabric as tightly as possible to form an even, flat disk and then wrap a few rubber bands around the disc. The final shirt will have a unique ripple pattern.
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Step 5
Get the traditional tie dye spiral pattern by first laying your shirt out flat on a smooth surface and then gripping the fabric with a clothes pin wherever you would like the center of the spiral. Twist the clothes pin, keeping the pleating fabric of the shirt as flat as possible to create a round disk. When finished, wrap a large rubber band around the outside of the disk and remove the clothes pin.
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Step 6
Use a needle and thread to baste through the fabric in any shape you have created. Pull the threads as tightly as possible. Use the needle and thread technique to eliminate white marks left by rubber bands or to create unique patterns that rubber bands cannot hold together.
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Step 1
Dip your shirt in the dye using the lightest color first, gradually working up to darker colors. Hold the shirt in the dye for 30 to 60 seconds to ensure saturation.
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Step 2
Read the directions of your chosen dye carefully, as some dyes require rinsing between colors. The directions should also tell you whether you must allow dyes to set for a period of time, or if you can wash and dry immediately.
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Step 3
Once you have finished your shirt and followed the instructions for setting the dye, rinse your shirt thoroughly in cold water and hang in the sun to dry.
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Step 4
Wash tie dye items together in cold water for the first few times. While most fiber reactive dyes will not bleed color, it is better to be safe than to be sorry.
