How to Make a Tie-Dye Shirt

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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

Make a Tie-Dye Shirt

How to Make a Tie-Dye Shirt. The Incas tie-dyed fabrics using plant coloring. And you thought hippies invented tie-dyeing!

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Step 1

Wash a 100 percent cotton T-shirt.

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Step 2

Place the wet shirt flat on the work surface.

Step 3

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

Step 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.

Step 5

Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Step 6

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

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Step 7

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

Step 8

Undo the knots and rinse the shirt again.

Step 9

Hang the shirt to dry, out of the sun.

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