How to Make a Tie-Dye Shirt

The Incas tie-dyed fabrics using plant coloring. And you thought hippies invented tie-dyeing!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Measuring Spoons
• 100 Percent Cotton T-shirts
• Salt
• Heavy-duty Threads
• Rubber bands
• Clotheslines
• Clothespins
• Deep Cooking Pots
• Rubber Gloves
• RIT Dyes

1. Wash a 100 percent cotton T-shirt.

2. Place the wet shirt flat on the work surface.

3. Tie knots in the T-shirt, or twist it and secure the folds with rubber bands or heavy-duty thread.

4. Mix 1/2 c. liquid dye (or 1 package powdered dye) in 1 qt. hot water. Dissolve 5 tbsp. table salt in the mixture.

5. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

6. Put the entire shirt in the dye and let it soak for at least 20 minutes.

7. Rinse the shirt in cold water until the water runs clear.

8. Undo the knots and rinse the shirt again.

9. Hang the shirt to dry, out of the sun.

[animekitten]

on 6/21/2009 what kind of dye should i use, and what colour of shirt (if i want a really cool, punky colour pallette)?

[obbycozy]

on 11/8/2008 i want to know how to get tie die washing ink please send it to my email [e-mail]

[AbbyNormal]

on 6/5/2008 RIT dye must be done in HOT water!

on 2/12/2007 Do not use this instruction with Rit brand all purpose dye! It requires that you submerge the clothing in a hot boiling dye bath for about 30 minutes. You must use a fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX or similar, but first you must pre soak the shirt with sodium carbonate solution, then wring it dry, then apply the dye, and let it sit, while keeping the clothing wet (add urea to the dye to help, because urea absorbs water) for at least 2 hours, more is better. Then wash them out several times with cold water, then warm, then hot using detergents. After that the dye will be very permanent, in fact assuming you properly washed off the excess dye - you can wash a dark shirt dyed with Procion MX in scalding hot water with whites and it will not bleed.

Be sure to carefully read the instruction provided by whatever dye you purchase!

on 6/30/2006 Use the standard method, but with a black T-shirt and bleach; groovy goth-look. :)