How to Tie Dye
Step by step instructions for the best supplies and classic tie dye patterns for beginners.
Ingredients
- white cotton shirt or garments
- tie-dye kit or bottles of dye
- rubber bands
- gloves
- drop cloth
- drip pan optional
Instructions
- Begin by washing the garments you plan to dye if they've never been washed.*
- Mix your dyes according to the package instructions.
- Cover your area with a drop cloth to protect it from any dye spills and wear disposable gloves as you work to protect your hands.
- Scrunch up or fold your item as desired for your pattern and then add rubber bands to secure.
- Add dye to the prepared fabric in your chosen color pattern until the top is saturated. Turn over and repeat on the other side.
- Add your dyed fabric to a sealed off plastic bag (or twist a plastic grocery bag closed) and let it sit for 6-24 hours. The longer the better for color saturation.
- Remove from bag and rinse your garment in the bathtub or kitchen sink until the water runs clear (wear gloves again for this step).
- Wash the tie-dye item (or items) in the washing machine on cold separately from other laundry and dry or as you normally would.
Notes
TIPS:
- If the garments you are dyeing are things you already own and have washed before, you can skip washing them.
- A plastic sheet is helpful for protecting your work surface, but it’s also very handy to also use a drip pan under the item being dyed (something like a dish pan or plant saucer will do).
- You can also add an extra rinse cycle to your washer when washing the clothes for the first time if you machine has that setting to make sure any extra dye is rinsed out.