How to Tie Dye a T-Shirt

We had a fun school activity at ISU and a group from the art department taught us how to tie dye t-shirts.

My three little models

You will need:
White T-Shirts
Soda Ash
Liquid Fabric Dyes (2-3 colors)
Squirt Bottles for Dyes (2-3)
Large Bucket

Step 1:
Mix 1 cup soda ash into 1 gallon warm water.

Step 2:
Let t-shirt soak in soda ash water for at least 10 minutes.

Step 3:
Mix the dyes and put them in the squirt bottles.

Step 4:
Remove the t-shirt and gently ring it out (retaining some of the wetness). Fold according to the desired pattern. Place rubber bands around the t-shirt.

Step 5:
Dye according to the instructions of each design. Be sure to saturate the fabric with your dye and reach the tip of your squirt bottle in between the folds of the fabric.

Swirls

Swirl Tie Dye

How to make Swirls: pinch shirt in the center and twist it until all the fabric is in one big circle like a plate. Put three rubber bands around it crossing each other to create 6 pie slices. Dye the first pie slice one color, the next another color and the third can be left white or dyed a third color. Repeat this pattern on the other half of the pie. Your opposite pie slices should match in color.

Pinch center and twist

Cross bands and dye each section

Stripes

Striped Tie Dye (vertical)

Stripes: fold shirt in half (sleeve to sleeve for vertical lines or hem to neck for horizontal lines). You now have a  rectangle. Take the length of the rectangle and fold it accordion style. Put 4 rubber bands around it (this will give you six stripes). Dye each section a different color. Saturate between the folds and this pattern has a lot of areas that might stay white.

Circles

Circle Tie Die

Flower or Circles: pinch your shirt at the point you want to have as the center. Pick it up and place rubber bands 2-3 inches apart working your way down from the piece you pinched until it is all banded together. Dye each section a different color repeating where desired. If aiming for a flower color the pinched tip yellow and the next section red or orange and then green for the leaves.


Step 6:
Wrap the t-shirt in newspaper and place in a plastic bag for 48 hours.

Wrap and place in bag

Step 7:
Rinse in cold water until the water runs clear. Remove bands and rinse some more. Machine wash with 1/2 - 1 cup vinegar and NO detergent. (Remember to wash separately the first few times as the dyes may leach onto other clothing).

Rinse then machine wash

A helpful site (where I got the b&w pics):
http://www.dharmatrading.com/info/soda_soak.html