project #2

tie-dye...always an experiment

Sophie had some white onesies and I needed some tie-dye. The great thing about tie-dye is that you can't really mess up and the final product is always different!!

The Process:

1. Mix your dyes according to package directions. This may require a little customizing and cutting corners if you don't want to mix the whole package of dye. You can also buy a tie-dye kit. For this project I used Dylon, which can be purchased at Wal-Mart or any craft store. I only mixed half of each package which still ended up being WAY more dye than we needed. TIP: Don't mix dye in bowls that you love because they may leave them stained. (I learned this the hard way and have stained my pink Williams-Sonoma mixing bowls.)
   
2. Tie your shirts/clothing. There are numerous ways to do this depending on what effect you want. The ever-s0-popular spiral look is achieved by pinching the fabric where you want the center of the spiral to be, then spinning the fabric in one direction until you have a tight wheel of fabric. Secure with rubber bands. It doesn't really matter how many rubber bands you use. The dye will seep under the bands so they don't really provide a barrier to color. For other ideas on tying, go here or just search the Internet.
   
   
3. Start dying! We used cups to pour the dye onto the fabric. It may be easier to use squirt bottles. We didn't have any so we improvised. You can also use a spray bottle to get a little splatter action going. TIP: If you want part of the fabric to remain white, don't POUR the dye on, just drizzle it. The dye tends to soak in really easily so go easy.
   
   
4. Wait. Place each article of clothing in a separate plastic bag to keep it moist. For maximum results, let the dye sit for 24 hours before washing.
   
   
5. Wash. First, you'll want to rinse the fabric in COLD water while it is still tied--until the water runs fairly clear. Then untie, and rinse again in HOT water until clear. Then wash your fabric in HOT water, using your regular laundry detergent.
   
   

These are simple directions compared to some you'll find on the Internet. I found that this process worked perfectly, however, and I had no need for the more technical instructions (like using soda-ash or synthrapol).

Pictures of the final products: