Tie-dye is having a major fashion moment right now. All you have to do is open your Instagram to see all the tie-dye lounge sets and crop tops. We know you have tons of time on your hands, so why not create your own one-of-a-kind tie-dye at home? Here’s how to transform ordinary white clothes into trendy tie-dye pieces.
To get the best results, use a plain white shirt that’s pre-washed and 100 percent cotton. You’ll need dye powder, rubber bands, rubber gloves, plastic bags, and a plastic table cover. You can purchase a tie-dye kit that will have all of these materials as well as instructions to make things easier. Here’s your step-by-step guide.
- Wet your shirt in hot water and wring out the excess water.
- Lay your shirt flat on a table covered with plastic cover.
- Tightly tie your shirt with rubber bands in the desired pattern you want (see below).
- Put your gloves on and mix your dye with water.
- Add the dye to your shirt.
- Put your shirt in a plastic bag and let it sit for six to eight hours.
- Remove the rubber bands and rinse your shirt in cold water to remove the excess dye.
- Wash your shirt on its own on the cold setting and let it hang dry.
Patterns
Spirals: Pinch the shirt where you want the spiral to form. Twist the rest of the shirt around that point and slowly, working outwards, add rubber bands.
Stripes: Bunch your shirt together horizontally or vertically and use rubber bands to space out where the stripes will be. The closer you space the rubber bands, the tighter the stripes will be.
Bullseye: Grab the middle of your shirt and use it as a bullseye’s center. Apply the rubber bands outward. More space between rubber bands means more space between each bullseye.
