The Best Tie Dye Tips For Dying Shirts & More at Home

Published:
May 16, 2022

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Tie-dye activities make a great summer project. Yes, it can be a bit messy, but if you take the mess outside, most of your problems will be solved. Gather the neighborhood kids for a fun group project or make tie dye shirts at your next birthday party or summer gathering and use these tie dye tips to get the best results!

tie dye

Tie Dye Tips

Some of the fun of tie dye projects is seeing the variations of the designs in the finished product. So, if you want to try this with your kids, follow the tips below for best results and get ready for some messy fun. Tie dye projects are great for any age and make a fun family activity.

We’ll walk you through all the tie dye tips you need to know to get started with this project. If you want to see visuals of the process, check out this great tie-dye tutorial with step-by-step pictures to walk you through the details.

How do you get the best results when tie dying?

When choosing the fabric to use in your tie dye project, it’s best to go with a 100% cotton shirt if you can. The color will be more vibrant and you’ll achieve better results. If you can’t find 100% cotton, you could still get good results with an 80/20 cotton/polyester blend.

How to get the best results when tie dying

Tying with Rubber Bands

The first step is to tie your shirt tightly with rubber bands. There are many ways to tie your fabric so that you get specific patterns. Some of the most popular designs are called rainbow swirl, sunburst, or the bullseye.

The rubber bands act as a resist, or barrier for the dye to penetrate the fabric. So where you place the rubber bands, the original t-shirt color will show through, whether that is white, or another color. 

Have fun with the design! You can tie your shirt in a classic spiral shape for a great finished look. Or, fold it to make horizontal stripes or vertical stripes using an accordion fold.

Prepping Your Work Area

The second step is to prep your work area. It’s a good idea to complete this project outside if you can. And be sure to wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting stained.

Once you have your folded shirt tied with rubber bands, the next step is to prepare your dye. At this point you can also presoak your t-shirt so that it’s ready to accept the dye.

Wear rubber gloves to protect your skin and mix your dyes. You can buy a ready-made tie dye kit or prepare your own. You’ll want to use fiber reactive dye rather than all-purpose dye because it’s more likely to last on cotton fabric. You’ll want to mix your dye and put them into squeeze bottles for ease of use. 

Tie Dye Tips

Getting Your Dye Ready

Of course, by watering down your dye, you will have a more muted look. If you want to keep the colors intense, then lower your water to dye ratio. Get your squirt bottles of different colors ready and have some fun! Remember that colors right next to each other might bleed a bit, so keep that in mind as you’re choosing which colors to use on your project.

After applying the dye, put your project into a plastic bag to give it time to cure. Now you’re ready for rinsing, which we’ll discuss below.

Is it better to tie dye wet or dry?

It is better to tie dye wet. The dye will saturate the fabric better if your shirt is wet. So, for best results, wash your fabric and keep it damp until you’re ready to apply the dye. However, you can tie dye on dry fabric too. 

Wash Your Shirt First

You’ll want to prepare the fabric for accepting the dye by washing it first and keeping it wet until you’re ready to dye it. Then, after you’ve applied the dye, you can keep it wet while the dye sets by either placing it in a plastic bucket, plastic bag, or wrapping it in plastic wrap.

How do you make tie dye better?

If you’re concerned about keeping your tie dye vibrant even through multiple washings, then this is what to do. Instead of just rinsing your shirt in water when you are doing your initial rinse after tie dyeing, soak your shirt in equal parts cold water and white vinegar. If you do this for about 30 minutes, the color will set better and your shirt will better handle washings.

Using the vinegar will help the dye set into the natural fibers of the fabric.

Tie Dye Made Easy

How long should tie dye sit before rinsing?

You should let your finished tie dye project sit for 8 to 24 hours before rinsing. Keep the fabric wet during this time. You can wrap it in plastic or keep it in a plastic bag in a warm place so it doesn’t dry out.

By letting the fabric sit, the dye can better penetrate into the fibers. Now you’re ready for the rinsing step.

Do you rinse tie-dye in hot or cold water?

Cold water rinsing is the best option for tie-dye projects. After your project has been able to sit overnight, you will need to rinse it. You’ll do this step with the rubber bands still in place. You can use the rinse setting in your washer to do this step. Or, consider hosing off your tie-dye project on the driveway until the water runs clear. This step allows the excess dye to run off the shirt without blending too much and ruining your design.

So to be clear, the initial rinse should be cold water. 

But then, in order to set the color, go ahead and remove the rubber bands and wash your shirt in hot water with some laundry detergent. Be sure not to include any other clothing in this load, as you may still have some dye that comes loose during this step.

Why did my tie dye wash out?

It’s possible you didn’t set your tie-dye color if it washes out. Here’s how to prevent fading. Add ½ cup of salt and 1 cup of white vinegar to your tie dye project in the washing machine. Wash your new tie dye shirt separately so that the colors don’t mix. 

One other reason why your tie dye might wash out is that you didn’t start with a 100% cotton fabric. The best way to have a great finished product is to carefully choose your fabric, dye, and follow the dye soak instructions above.

How do you get vibrant colors in tie dye?

How do you get vibrant colors in tie dye?

Vibrancy in tie dye colors is largely due to the time your fabric has been in contact with the dye before rinsing. In other words, the fiber needs time to soak in the dye properly before you rinse your fabric. 

Also, don’t let your tie dye shirt sit too long in the washing machine while it’s wet. This can also cause the colors to bleed and lose their vibrancy.

One other tip to keep vibrant colors in your tie-dye project is to allow your shirt to air dry. The high heat in a dryer can cause the colors to lose vibrancy and fade.

Fun Things to Tie Dye With Kids

The most popular items to tie dye are cotton shirts. White t-shirts make a great canvas for unique patterns to take center stage. You can get great results following the easy steps in this post.

The most important factor in choosing material to tie dye is to look for an item with a high cotton or natural fiber make-up. Synthetic materials just don’t accept the dye very well. But white shirts aren’t the only item that you can use for this project.

Consider these tie dye ideas too:

  • Tote bags – Make yourself a fun bag to use for hauling books to and from the library! 
  • Baby onesie – If you have a friend or family member expecting a new baby, you can make a cute set of tie dyed onesies. 
  • Socks – Tie-dye socks make a fun gift for a friend or yourself. You really can’t go wrong. 
  • Apron –  How about making a tie-dye apron for some extra fun in the kitchen? 
  • Bandanas – how much fun would it be to tie your hair back with a tie dyed bandana?

Tie Dying Bandanas

The end result of creating a tie dye pattern is super fun and makes a great outside activity in the summer. Plus, tie dye activities are a fun way to learn about the color wheel and how specific patterns and colors are made. Will you be making some tie dye projects this summer with your kids? These tie dye tips will be a great help in making sure your results are amazing!

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