How to Do the Lightning Fold When Bleaching Old Black Shirts

Xylo0 saw the instructable for transforming old black t-shirt asked me how to do the arrow pattern effect.   As there wasn't room on the comments to explain properly (with diagrams), I am making a new instructable to explain how it is done.   The name of this fold is actually the "lightning" fold.

Step 1: Take Your T-shirt

I have taken one of my already bleached shirts, as it seems to show up the folds more than a plain one. Fold in half, sleeve to sleeve.

Step 2: Fold the Sleeves Into the Center

Fold the sleeves into the center. Keep it nice and flat.

Step 3: Fold Up From the Bottom

Take hold of the shirt about halfway up from the bottom and fold it up towards the neck. This is the first fold

Step 4: Next Step

Make two more folds up from the bottom of the shirt. You will have three folds altogether. See both photos.

Step 5: Continue to Fold and Scrunch

Starting at the bottom outer corner (below the sleeve side)Fold and scrunch diagonally towards the opposite edge of the neck, until you have a flat rectangular shape. Start putting the bands on to hold the shape. It is hard to fold this as you have quite a thickness going there. Keep it folding as diagonally as you can.

Step 6: Banding

Put on the bands very tightly, but keep the shirt flat. You can then put it in the bleach bath as instructed under
https://www.instructables.com/id/Transforming-a-boring-old-black-t-shirt-using-blea/
You should then get a somewhat similar pattern to the "arrow" design, depending on the shirt and how well you have been able to fold the thicknesses. It's worth a try. You can also use this fold to do a tie dye! Works very well using Black and red, or black and green! The picture shown is of a sleeveless tank top that I folded in this pattern in blue and yellow.