How to tie dye an old white shirt!

Take an old white shirt suffering from the "dingies" and turn it into a rainbow masterpiece! I'll show you how.

Step 1: The shirt, fit to be dyed!

The shirts that work best are 100% cotton, although you can use 50% cotton/50% polyester (although the results will not be so vibrant. I once tried to dye a 100% polyester garment and when it was unwrapped - all the dye washed off! The dyes only bond well with natural fabrics, like cotton, silk and rayon - but we're talking cotton here....

Comments

[alittlestranger]

just wanted to say thanks so much for the instructable, i used it to make this tie dye shirt for my boyfriend to wear to my rainbow birthday party :)

It was really easy to follow and now i want to tie dye everything!! :)

[frenzy]

This posting has won today's "I Made It" Challenge. For winning you will receive a 3 month pro membership!

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[Justmychucks101]

What if it dries in the 24 hours

[sjohnson75]

Hi me and my partner love tie dying and have tried so many differnet ways but everytime we rinse off our tshirts they seem to fade and dont look so vibrant like yours. What are we doing wrong? We soak in soda ash solution for 10 mins, then wring out and fold, add bands then squirt on our dye. We then leave this for 24 hrs but still they look faded. Can u help please?

[bschneid]

If i want to make a lot of tie dye items how much dye do you recommend buying? How many tshirts can you make from 2oz of each colour?

[chrissy77]

LOVE IT!!!! THANKS....MY TANK TOP IS AWESOME!!!!!

[chrissy77]

Thanks so much!!! I love how my tank top turned out. I love it soo much....I thought I'd post a picture. Thanks again!!!

[kerryxxx]

oh i got so excited about then i saw what i need and thought okaaaay i wont be doing this i have no idea what procion dye is... :/

[WhyHello]

So, like, say you wear this evey day. And wash it ever night. How much more would the die wear out? =(

[flo2012]

I THINK THAT THERE ARE MORE WAYS TODO IT

[Reed_Sky_Born]

so awesome im gonna make it (:

[SanDiegoSaunie]

thank you for the easy to follow "instructables". We are planning a combo egg dyeing and shirt dyeing party for our Easter celebration. The kids can dye 3 dozen eggs in under a half hour and we wanted to do something to continue the theme. Lone behold, my Grateful Dead following (those were the days...lol!) husband suggested Tie Dye! Perfecto! thx again

[kariaist]

I think the colors are in the wrong spots here in the photo as the instructions describe if you want to achieve the cool spiral pattern.

[lakramer]

RIT dye works, probably better than the procion dye if you're working with children. :) Really nice instructable! Thank you!

[slivie]

rit dye often requires boiling hot water. I've tried both and I'd rather cover my nieces and nephews with garbage bags and give them squirt bottles. (Adults should mix dyes and soda ash solutions)

[WhyHello]

WHy soda ash? Is that baking Soda? Would it be found in the same area as baking soda in a grocery store?

[slivie]

Hello:

Soda Ash isn't the same as baking soda. you can buy it from a dye store or get it at a pool and spa store. It is caustic so be sure to protect your hands and eyes.

As for banding. Once you twist your shirt into a bun. (I use a fork and twirl like its pasta) Just take your rubber band, hold it open and slide it under , and around the shirt while it's sitting flat. Do that 2 more times and you'll have your triangles. (almost looks like a pie chart at this point.)

Once you've allowed the garment to sit dyed for 24 hours, rinse, then wash with the hottest water for the garment in the machine...with Syntrapol or similar product. The shirt is amazingly color fast. I have one dress I bought about 5 years ago that the colors are still vibrant... the fabric is showing wear... but the colors are still awesome.

[WhyHello]

i heard you can use rubberbands a certin way to make triangles. Do you know how to do that

I'm not DIY Im WHOPDIF (WHatch Other People Do It First)

[PennisFuxx]

Thanks for sharing...
I am thinking about doing a tie dye party for about 25 children and wanted to know if you could tell me how much dye will a 2 oz bottle of procion fiber reactive dye make?
Do you have any suggestions for mixing them? How much dye to water?
Mahalo...

[garrettanderson983]

if u want it to look freaking awesome, dip one side in black cotton dye, twist it off center(possibly with rasta colours:D), or do a DOUBLE SPIRAL!!!! double spirals for the win!

soda ash isnt necessary... i didnt use it

[caseyst]

A tip on doing the spiral - instead of a dowel, use the bottom of a walking cane that has a rubber tip. Makes a great, fast spiral and doesn't slip off like a dowel does - also easy starting too!

[ANTQNUT]

I LOVE TIE DYE!!!!! Great instructable, all the tie dye looks beautiful! I love it! it will completely pull off my seventies look I've been going for . hah I like your username!

[JoseAAV]

dude I don't wanna be annoying but its the 60`s the 60`s were the hippie ones

[ANTQNUT]

dude I don't wanna be annoying but when someone screws up it's not your problem so let it be.

[JoseAAV]

ok dude sorry peace lets not turn this into a flame war

[ANTQNUT]

ok dude

[stinkymum]

tie dye has never gone out of style, you can still buy them today!

[Mehehehful]

 so true. 

[kristinanndowns2]

can i do more then one shirt at a time? sizes would be, 4T,2T,12mo, and 18mo.

[shannon di]

I have a really ugly quilt that my 9 year old daughter and I would really like to use the back of to tye dye, due to it is hand made and extremely comfy, it does hold kool aid stains amazingly well, lol, and i believe that it is cotton, it is a queen size quilt, how do you recommend i go about doing such a large task, especially since i have no idea what i am doing, but i do follow direction extremely well. PLEASE HELP US, thank you for your time. I would love to show the final product.

[stinkymum]

this would be a very difficult task.    I would do a spiral fold - it will be enormous!    It will take a lot of dye and you would have to put the finished circle into a large plastic bag.  Lay the quilt flat and begin spiralling from the middle and hope for the best - then put the dye on as shown in this instructable.  The largest thing I have ever done has been a full sized white cotton sheet, which is thinner than a quilt.   I have also done a shower curtain or two.   I really don't recommend you do this, but that's up to you.

[eagleye]

 can u give me tips on how to tye dye white t's?

[stinkymum]

this instructable tells you how to do this

[hatlover]

HI, Love your tie dye instructable! I'm going to be doing a group tie dye session this summer. After dyeing, do you usually rinse and wash all shirts for attendees?Or do you have them take items home to finish up? What has worked best in your experience??? Thanks,
hatlover

[stinkymum]

I have them take them home with full instructions on how to wait at least 24 hours and then wash them.  I always suggest that friends get together and wash their shirts together.   My best experience is always seeing the finished results

[kenny94]

 Nice 'ible. I'm going to do this sometime with a white undershirt and a white button-up shirt of mine and wear them at the same time :D

[hazgirl22]

Wonderful tutorial, thanks for sharing! I can't wait to give it a shot for myself. :) I don't have dye in the bottles like that, though. Oh well, experimenting is half the fun!

[sumbrero]

ooooooooooo THAT IS SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =P

[micky-t]

great intructable im still waiting for the dye to set. however instaed of using the liquid dyes you used i used powder that you mix with tap water and the fix. i might post pictures up once i have washed the shirt.

[stinkymum]

The dyes I use come in powder form from Dharma and I mix them with the required amount of urea and warm water.