Things You'll Need
10 or more rubber bands
4 qt. bucket(s)
Fabric dye
According to the website Harmony Tie-Dye, tie dyeing is an ancient craft, which became fully developed in China during the T'ang dynasty (618-906 A.D.) and in Japan during the Nara period (552-794 A.D.). Most people tend to think of tie dyes as simply a trend of the '60s, seen most popularly on T-shirts. Regardless of trends or popularity, there's no reason why you can't tie dye garments now and there's no reason why you can't tie dye a long-sleeved shirt. Long-sleeved shirts showcase the fun patterns of the dye just as well as T-shirts; T-shirts are simply the more common and traditional option.
Step 1
Lay your shirt flat out in front of you. Decide where you want the center of the tie dye design.
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Step 2
Pick up the shirt by that center point that you've just determined. Pinch that point and wrap a rubber band around it.
Step 3
Pinch the rest of the shirt into a cylinder shape, continuing to wrap a rubber band around the shirt every 1 to 2 inches, depending on how striking you want your tie-dye designs to be. Make sure you allow portions of the sleeve to be on the outside and not all bunched up inside this cylinder.
Step 4
Prepare fabric dye according to the manufacturer's instructions in separate buckets.
Step 5
Dip your tied-up shirt in one bucket if you just want it to be one color. Let is soak for five minutes for a more vibrant color.
Step 6
Dip chosen sections of the shirt into separate buckets of dye if you want your shirt to be different colors. Hold the sections in the dye for at least three to five minutes.
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