How to Tie-Dye Mandalas

You can tie-dye hundreds of patterns to suit your style

Mandalas, or star patterns, are colorful designs that you can use to decorate your clothes and tapestries. Reminiscent of the tie-dye art popularized during the 1960s, mandala tie-dyes are a way to reveal your inner artist.

Things You'll Need

• Tapestry, clothes or cloth
• Sodium carbonate
• pH testing strips
• Marking pen
• Colored dyes in squirt-type bottles
• rubber bands
• white vinegar
• plastic gloves

Instructions

1. 

   Sodium carbonate ensures that the dye chemically bonds with the garment

   Soak your cloth or tapestry in sodium carbonate until it reaches a pH of 11 to 12. Use enough sodium carbonate to completely cover the garment. Let it soak for 5 to 15 minutes. You can test that the solution has reached the right pH level with pH test paper strips. These can be found at your local pharmacy.

2. 

   Your garment's size will affect the number of folds you can make

   Fold the cloth in half as many times as required to reach the number of star points you desire. Fold into eighths for a 4-point star, into 16ths for an 8-point star. Remember that you are trying to make a star pattern so at least one of your folds must form a triangle.

3. Use a marking pen to draw a diagonal line from one side of the cloth to the other, starting about 1 inch from the bottom of the fabric. Join that line with a second diagonal line. This will make a zigzag pattern to divide the folded cloth into sections.

4. 

   Use new, medium-sized rubber bands so they don't break

   Tie each section tightly by wrapping a rubber band several times over each diagonal line.

5. 

   Using different dye colors will make your mandala more colorful.

   Hold the tied cloth over a sink and squirt each section with a color dye. Entirely cover each section with dye to avoid any white spots.

6. Let the tie-dyed mandala cure, or soak, for 12 to 24 hours in the dye so the dye can fully bond to the fabric.

7. 

   A vinegar rinse will flush excess dye and set the color

   Rinse the cloth with white vinegar after it is fully soaked in dye,

8. Cut open the rubber bands, taking care to not cut the fabric. Spread out your tie-dyed mandala work.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with different tying techniques and colors for different mandala patterns.

• Dye is messy and permanent. Wear plastic gloves and clothes you don't mind getting dirty.

References

• Roslyn Rags; How to Dye A Star or Mandala Pattern
• Dharma Trading Co: Tie-Dye Basics

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish