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I’ve been crafting for 50 years and never wanted to tackle traditional tie dying. Seemed like it would be too messy to do with kids. Wouldn’t you know it rained on the day we had it planned so we even did it indoor. Not as messy as I expected. We put the buckets of dye in the sink, spread out a drop cloth, covered the table. Everyone wore old clothes and gloves. We used soda ash but you can also use salt which is considered safer. We decided to stick with colors in the same color family to prevent  muddy looking results.

• Lime green fabric dye
• Emerald green fabric dye
• Kelly green fabric dye
• Soda ash
• Non latex gloves
• Non latex gloves
• Extra large rubber bands
• 3 buckets (we used dollar store 5 gallon trash pails)
• Clothespins
• Tongs
• White tee shirts
• Gallon size zipper bags

Instructions:

Following instructions on the package, soak the tee shirts in soda ash and wring out excess. Pour a bottle of dye in each pail. Add water until you have 4″ of solution in each pail. Stir with tongs.

Option 1: Fan fold (finished tee not shown)

 Starting from the bottom, fold up 4″ turn over and fold back 4″. Continue until the tee is completely folded. Rubber band tightly every 4″. Place half of the rubber banded shirt into the emerald green bucket. Clothespin to the side of the bucket to keep it from slipping all the way in. Soak for 30 minutes or according to package directions. Remove from the bucket. Place the other half rubber banded shirt in the  kelly green bucket. Clothespin to the side of the bucket to keep it from slipping all the way in. Soak. Remove and place inside a zipper bag overnight. Remove rubber bands, rinse until water runs clear. Wring out and hand dry.

Not our favorite because one side is one color and the other side is the other color. Would have been better as a one-color dye. Another idea would be to dip completely in the one color then change rubber band positioning before dipping completely in the other color.

This option we fan folded starting from the side of the shirt so the bottom could be dipped in one color and the top in another color.

Option 2: Spiral

We dyed this shirt lime green first. Then let it dry overnight. To make the spiral,  lay the shirt out on your work surface. Pinch the middle and twist into a tight spiral. Place about six rubber bands around the shirt. Place into emerald dye bath. Let soak. Remove half the rubber bands. Place in the kelly green bath. Soak. Remove and place inside a zipper bag overnight. Remove rubber bands, rinse until water runs clear. Wring out and hand dry.

This was our favorite tie dye of the day. It was easier than I expected would definitely try it again with other colors.

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