How to Make the Dye for a Tie Dye

Making the dye for a tie dye can be as easy--or as complex--as you like. Commercially produced fabric dye is as simple to use as instant pudding mix. Branching out into natural dyes can lead to reading and learning about nature and the skills of history's housewives. Follow the steps below to use commercially produced dye for a fabulous single-color-and-white tie dye project.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Commercially produced fabric dye Rubber or latex gloves Fabric for tie-dye, tied as you wish Large stainless steel pot or kettle, or small stainless steel pot and large tempered-glass bowl or disposable plastic bucket Boiling water Wooden or stainless steel spoon Tongs Sink and rinsed dye container 2 cups salt Protected work surface Cleanser or bleach-based cleaner for sink

Making a tie dye

1. Decide how large your tie-dye project will be. This determines the size of your dye containers and the amount of dye you need to purchase. A single T-shirt is a classic starting project. You will need a single package of dye and a pot, bowl or bucket large enough to hold both the recommended liquid and the shirt. Remember that everything touched by dye will get dyed, at least a little, so protect surfaces from spills and put on your gloves.

2. Boil required amount of water and add dye powder or liquid. Stir powder at least 1 minute to ensure it dissolves.

3. Add fabric already tied for tie-dying. Turn off heat (if you're using a bowl or bucket, this problem is already solved). Use spoon to keep entire fabric submerged. Keep pushing down fabric and turning it in the dye for as long as package directions specify--usually around 15 minutes.

4. Remove fabric from liquid with tongs and place in sink. Pour out contents of dye container into sink and rinse container (your sink will recover with a little post-project cleaning). Fill container with cold water and add 2 cups of salt, stirring to dissolve. Add fabric, to rinse off excess dye and stabilize what remains. Let sit 10 minutes. Rinse lightly in clear water.

5. Squeeze excess moisture out of fabric. Now you can remove the ties and see the wonderful patterns you have created. Hang to dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Home dying no longer requires you to fill the kitchen with armfuls of goldenrod or bags of hickory nuts, but it is not completely stable. The salt-water rinse helps to lessen color-bleeding but cannot completely eradicate the problem. For the first couple of times at least, launder your tie-dye project with darker non-bleeding items, such as blue jeans or dark towels, or wash it separately until you are sure you're not likely to wind up with pink or green underwear. Cold-water washing keeps color longest--and remember, no bleach. For multicolor tie-dying, check your craft store for kits before planning an elaborate project from scratch. You will also find books that help you do more complex projects, including the fascinating plant-based ones that are centuries-old.
• Avoid using aluminum utensils or pots for tie-dying. Just as you see the results of cooking acidic food, such as tomato sauce, in aluminum, be aware that it also reacts with dye chemicals. The most likely undesirable effects are staining of the pot and possible changes in dye color. A cheap plastic bucket will also stain, but you can wash it with bleach or throw it away, rather than worrying about chemical reactions that might affect cooking later on.