Tie-Dye Basics

The history of tie-dye dates back thousands of years, with evidence of similar techniques found in various cultures around the world.

However, the modern form of tie-dye that is most commonly associated with colorful patterns and designs on clothing emerged in the 1960s during the counterculture movement in the United States. I always think of the Grateful Dead when I think of tie-dye. 🙂

The basic idea is you cover areas of fabric by tying them off with rubber bands. Then, you dye the rest of the fabric, possibly in multiple colors. The tied-off areas do not get color, since they are not exposed to the dye.

There are many different patterns and variations of this basic technique. But the number one piece of advice I would give to anyone who is just trying out tie-dye for the first time is this: It will be imperfect.

Tie-dye, like many projects, is about experimenting and enjoying the process while also at times being surprised by the results. If you want a perfectly curated look, tie-dye is likely not the best option, as it’s meant to look messy, colorful, and fun!

Classic Tie-Dye – How to

One you have gathered your supplies (more on this below), tie-dye has three basic steps: prepare your fabric, dye it, and then once done, wash it before use.

Supplies

• Dye – I love Tulip one-step dyes and the tie-dye kit. No soda ash or presoaking required. This is truly the best option for beginner’s IMO.
• Rubber bands
• Gloves & drop cloth to protect areas
• Garments or items to dye – white cotton is best but other fabrics can work as well. You can tie dye so many different garments like sweatshirts, T-shirts, socks, bandanas, overalls, and more!
• Laundry detergent

Preparation

Begin by washing the garments you plan to dye. If they are things you already own and have washed before, you can skip this step. But anything new or if you are unsure (like an item you thrifted), go ahead and wash it as you normally would and fully dry before dyeing.

Dye

Scrunch up your item as desired and then add rubber bands. See below for patterns you can try.

Then, mix your dyes according to the package instructions (the kit I used had me simply add water to the bottles and shake).

Cover your area with a drop cloth to protect it from any dye spills. I also recommend wearing disposable gloves as you work to protect your hands.

Add dye to the prepared fabric and allow to soak for the recommended time. The dye I used suggested 4-6 hours.

Wash

Before throwing your tie-dye garments in the washing machine, give them a good rinse in the bathtub or kitchen sink. I recommend wearing gloves again for this step. Remove the rubber bands and rinse until the water runs clean. Then, wash them in the washing machine, or as you normally would.

I know it may not seem necessary, but I do think it’s best to wash newly dyed items separate from other clothing the first time. Even if you rinse it well, the dye could ruin other clothing you are not wanting to dye.

Tie-Dye Patterns

While I love to randomly bunch up my project and be surprised by the final results, it’s also really fun to create classic tie-dye patterns. Here are five basic patterns to try.

Bullseye

Pinch a section of fabric of the garment. Pull the fabric up to this point, creating a fabric cone. Wrap rubber bands around the cone of fabric.

You can add as many or as few rubber bands as you want. When you go to dye, add a different color to each section (between the rubber bands).

Folded

Fold the garment into a square or triangle, folding and condensing it down as much as you like. When you go to dye add color to the edges of the folds only.

This tie-dye pattern can use rubber bands or not—it’s up to you. If you want to add small pieces of cardboard in the shape of the fold (a square or a triangle) on each side, you can wrap the rubber bands around these before dyeing.

Stripes

Lay the garment flat. Starting from the bottom or one side, fold the shirt in a series of small accordion-style folds. Wrap the folded shirt with rubber bands. Depending if you start from, a side or top/bottom will create vertical, horizontal or diagonal lines.

Sunbursts

Pinch a series of small sections and pull them up to create small, small cone shapes. Secure each with a couple of rubber bands. These kind of resemble cow utters. When you go to dye, add a color to the small cone areas and a different color for the rest.

Swirl

Pinch a small section in the center of your garment. Twist the fabric around this point. Keep twisting, and the garment will become a disc. It think it resembles a cinnamon roll.

Bleach Tie-Dye

Using bleach to tie-dye is essentially the same technique but instead of adding color to a garment, we are looking to take color away (by bleaching it off).

Ice Tie-Dye

Using ice cubes to tie-dye has become really popular in the last few years. The process is slightly different, and in my experience creates a softer, more subtle tie-dye effect than classic tie-dye.