Making dyed ties can be a fun and creative way to add a personal touch to clothes or other fabric items. The fabric to be dyed is crimped and tied using a rubber band or string to create beautiful patterns, shapes and colors. There are a variety of simple patterns you can try, from spirals to symmetrical patterns.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Choosing Fabrics, Dyes and Equipment
Step 1. Prepare the materials needed
Making tie knots can make a room messy. So, set up a work area that will allow you to work with the dye and don't mind splattering it all over the place!
- Cover the work area with a plastic sheeting. If you don't have one, you can use a plastic trash bag.
- Wear an apron or work clothes to protect clothes. It will be better if you wear old clothes. Consider wearing these clothes specifically for this activity and wearing them every time you make your tie.
- Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from dye and hot water.
- Prepare a large number of rubber bands to tie the fabric and form different patterns.
- You may also need half a dozen marbles if you want to make a circular design.
- Get a pair of scissors, a large metal spoon for stirring, and tongs to lift clothes after dyeing.
- Also have a cleaner or bleach ready. You need it to clean the work area when you're done.
Step 2. Choose one or more colors
You can buy powdered dyes in packs or liquid dyes in bottles. You can also buy a kit from a craft store.
Purchase an app bottle if you don't have one. With 500 ml, you can color about 12 shirts
Step 3. Choose the color you like
There are many color choices. Some colors that are usually not matched will produce a beautiful blend when mixed slowly as happens in the dyeing process. Try to be as creative as possible.
- The rainbow pattern is one of the most popular choices. To make a rainbow pattern, you'll need yellow, orange, turquoise, purple and fuchsia.
- Turquoise combined with a little fuchsia will produce a blue hue.
- Try mixing raspberry, brown, turquoise, and bronze tones for a darker shade.
- Green-brown, turquoise, and olive green will produce shades of green.
- Apple greens, yellows, and olive greens will also make green.
- Dark purple and turquoise are a bright combination.
Step 4. Select the material to be used
White cotton fabric is perfect for this project. You can also apply the tie dye technique to nylon, wool, or silk.
- White cotton t-shirts are often used to get creative with dyed ties, but there are plenty of other options, from gloves to tennis shoes.
- If you're getting creative with cotton, prepare 1 cup of salt. Adding salt to the dye solution will make the color stronger.
- If you want to dye other materials like nylon, silk or wool, you'll need a cup of white vinegar. The vinegar will protect sensitive textiles during the dyeing process.
Step 5. Prepare a bucket for the dyeing solution
If possible, use an enamel or stainless steel bucket instead of plastic. The dye will leave a stain on the plastic. The bucket will be filled with hot water and dye. Use a bucket with a capacity of about 10 liters.
You need a different bucket for each color used
Part 2 of 3: Designing Patterns
Step 1. Use a rubber band to tie the dye on a t-shirt or other item
Rubber bands allow you to wrinkle or shape the material in various ways to create a pattern, once you've removed it. Patterns can form because the dye can't reach the creased part of the fabric when it's dyed.
- The tighter you wrap the fabric, the more white the dye won't penetrate.
- If you don't have an elastic band, you can use a string.
Step 2. Make a circular pattern
Find the center of the fabric which will be the center of the circle. Pinch the section and tuck the marble into the fabric just behind the stapled section. Then, wrap a rubber band behind the marble and tie it tight.
Continue the same process using the marbles and rubber bands. Rubber bands prevent dye from penetrating the fabric. This will eventually result in a white circle on a colored background
Step 3. Make a pattern of stripes
Roll the fabric tightly vertically or horizontally. If the fabric is rolled horizontally, you will get a horizontal stripe pattern. On the other hand, if the fabric is rolled vertically, you will get a vertical stripe pattern. Tie the fabric using a rubber band at a certain distance along the fabric roll. Try to make the distance the same so that the resulting line pattern is neater. The rubber band will create a white line when you're done.
Step 4. Make a symmetrical pattern
Fold the shirt/cloth in half. A symmetrical pattern will form at each fold. For example, if you're wearing a t-shirt, fold the shirt from left to right so the sleeves overlap. This method will produce a left and right pattern. To create a top-down symmetrical pattern, you'll need to fold the bottom of the shirt toward the collar.
Step 5. Make a spiral pattern
Pinch the center of the t-shirt or fabric and twist until all the material forms a circle. Use a rubber band to hold the loop so it doesn't come off.
Another method of making a spiral (using a t-shirt as an example) is to wrap the t-shirt around your finger. The finger acts as a pivot when the shirt is turned. After twisting the shirt tightly, remove your fingers and tie them with a rubber band. Using 3-4 rubber bands, tie them so that they cross each other in the center of the roll of the shirt
Step 6. Make a marble pattern
Clump the shirt until it becomes a ball. Use rubber bands to tie the t-shirt in different directions. Keep in mind that the tighter you tie the shirt, the more white areas will remain on the fabric.
Part 3 of 3: Coloring Fabrics
Step 1. Prepare the dye solution before starting the dyeing process
Fill the prepared 10 liter bucket with hot water. You can heat the water in the microwave or heat it on the stove. Arrange the buckets of dye solution from darkest to lightest so you can start working with the darkest colors.
- You only need one bucket if you only use one color.
- Or, you can try the technique of dipping the cloth in a little water. Stuffing the fabric into a smaller container will give a crystal-like stain.
Step 2. Mix the fabric dye with water
Follow the instructions on the packaging. If you are using powdered dye, dissolve the powder in hot water before pouring it into the bucket. A good ratio is about cup of dye to 1 cup of hot water.
- For a darker or lighter color, use twice as much dye.
- If you want to dye the cotton, add a cup of salt to the dyeing solution to strengthen the color.
- If you want to dye silk, wool or nylon, add a cup of vinegar to protect the fabric.
- Stir the dye and water mixture with a metal spoon until well combined. If you add salt, make sure everything is dissolved before continuing.
Step 3. Dip the cloth in the dye solution
If you are using multiple colors, hold the area to be colored in an appropriate dye solution. Remove the cloth when finished. Continue with the next dye solution and repeat the same process for the rest of the fabric.
- If you only use one color, you can soak the entire fabric in the dye solution according to the intensity of the color you want. The longer you soak the fabric, the darker the resulting color will be.
- Remove the fabric once it is a little darker than your desired color. After drying the color will be a little lighter.
- Use tongs or rubber gloves to soak each piece of fabric in the appropriate dye solution.
- When finished, cut the rubber band using scissors.
Step 4. Wash the dyed fabric with the tie dye technique
The dye may slightly seep into the whites of the fabric. This will give an elegant effect on the dyeing result.
- Rinse the freshly stained cloth with warm water. Choose a mild detergent for rinsing freshly dyed fabrics.
- Let the water cool down gradually and continue rinsing once the water cools down.
- Rinse the cloth with cold water until the rinse water looks clear. Keep wearing gloves so your hands don't get dyed!
- Gently squeeze the cloth to remove excess water. You can roll it up with an old towel.
- Dry the fabric in a tumble dryer or blow it out in the open air.
Tips
- You can buy dye at a craft store.
- You can also buy rubber bands at almost any craft store, especially if the store has a section that sells supplies for dyeing techniques.
- Wash and dry the t-shirt or other items to be dyed first. This will remove the coating used to protect the fabric and will block the absorption of the color.
- Dry the dyed t-shirt or cloth by letting it dry in the shade for 20-30 minutes.
