Tie Die

Who would have ever thought that my first experience with tie die would be in college. I had so much fun that I regretted that it was my first time. We were all instructed to bring in a tee shirt made of 100% cotton.  We had it soak in soda ash for at least a half hour before we started working on it. The first thing we did was roll our shirts into a pattern using chopsticks.

Once our shirts were rolled into  a very tight shape we put elastics all over them. We then began the dying process.

There are tons of different tie die kits out there to be used in the classroom.  Here are a few that I found online.

We let our shirts sit for 12 hours at least before rinsing them in cold water and putting them through the wash (by themselves!).

Here are some tie die basic instructions:

There are many traditional variations of tie-dye around the world, each unique but basically Tie-dye is a way of creating patterns of color by folding, tying, stitching, crumpling or otherwise preparing the fabric to inhibit the flow of the dye into the folds of the fabric. The pattern of the folds and where the colors are squirted determines the final design. With experience, the end result can be predicted and controlled to some extent, but surprise is part of what makes tie-dye an exciting and interesting art form that even a first timer can have great results with. A fun & easy craft for children, camps and groups. step 1: fold and tie your garment Fold and/or tie the fabric into the desired patterns. For more defined patterns wet the shirt and squeeze or spin out excess water before folding. We have several books and DVDs with great pattern ideas! step 2: soak garments in soda ash solution Wear your dust mask & gloves! Use - 1 cup (8 oz.) of Soda Ash Fixer per gallon of warm water. A gallon will soak 10-12 adult XL tees – so way more kids tees, fewer dresses, etc. Soak the tied garments about 5-15 minutes. Squeeze out the garment so it is damp but not dripping. You can reuse solution until gone. step 3: mix your dyes Wear your dust mask & gloves! Measure urea and warm water into a container, an old pitcher works well. Use the chart below for amounts. Paste up your dye with the urea water (see below), then add rest of water and stir ‘till thoroughly dissolved. Pour into squeeze bottles with afunnel. An already wet, tied up adult tee will absorb about 4 oz of liquid dye, depending on how much you apply. Use this as a guide to help you decide how much to mix up. Check the name of each color on the label of the jar, some colors need more dye, they are marked with an * or ** by the name. step 4: squirt on your dye Apply dye with squeeze bottles, paint brushes, sponges, etc., as many colors as you want. (see below for tips). step 5: let it rest Put tied fabric in a plastic bag (you want to keep it damp). Let it cure for at least 4 hours but preferably 24 hours for the brightest colors. In temperatures below 70º F, it takes longer. step 6: wash it out Pre-fill your washing machine with hot water and 1/4 cup Synthrapol or Professional Textile Detergent. Rinse the tie-dyes thoroughly before putting in the machine. Leaving ties on, rinse under cold running water (faucet, hose or shower), to stop the dye reaction. Next rinse in warm water while you untie the folds, keep rinsing until water runs fairly clear. Throw in machine as soon as it is rinsed, running it through a full cycle.Don't wash more than the equivilant of about 8 adult size t-shirts at a time or the water gets too muddy. You can use Milsoft professional fabric softener in the final rinse to make your tie-dyes super soft!. http://www.dharmatrading.com/tie-dye/instructions.html Tie die is great and can be used in a Chemistry Lesson such as :http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/9193637-AA.shtml