Craft: Make Your Own Tie Dye T-Shirt

Why not tie-dye a shirt? You can even tie-dye aprons, shorts, placemats, napkins and other similar items. Tie-dying is a fun and easy craft. Just remember to protect your work area before you begin. The directions below use a shirt as an example.

What you need:

• White or light coloured 100% cotton t-shirt. You can also tie-dye pillowcases, bandanas or anything else you would like.
• Fabric dyes, any colour(s)
• Rubber bands
• Plastic sheet
• Bucket or bowl, you will need one each for each colour you choose.

Instructions follow below the video…

What you do:

1. Ask your parents for permission to do this craft.
2. Protect your work area with plastic sheets. If you don't have any, use plastic garbage bags.
3. Wash your shirt in warm water to pre-shrink it.
4. Mix your different colour dyes according to the package directions. If you are only tie-dying one item, you do not need to use all the dye solution. Make the dye solution as light or as dark as you like.
5. Crumple, fold, twist, knot or stitch the shirt in any design you like, binding it tightly with elastic bands. Wherever you bind the fabric no dye can penetrate.
6. Immerse the shirt in the dye. If you are using more than one colour, dip the various parts in the different colours. Allow the shirt to soak up as much colour as you like. If you like darker colours you will have to let the shirt soak for a longer period.
7. Once the shirt is dyed to your liking, allow the shirt to dry for one to two days. Do not remove the elastics.
8. Once the shirt is dry, remove the elastics and gently re-wash it. Lay the shirt flat and allow it to dry.