Create Your Own Tie-dye Costume
Whether you have decided to go for a hippie costume this Halloween or you want a unique piece of clothing without spending a fortune on designers’ newest collections, tie-dye outfits can highlight your style and add originality to your look. Apart from that, tie-dye clothing is accessible and easy and fun to make. Thus, it will not only provide you with great looks, but it will also offer you some wonderful hours spent in a fun DIY project. Ready to start the tie-dye adventure? Here are some tips which may help you along the way.
The first thing you need to do when choosing to tie-dye t-shirts, pillowcases, dresses or other similar items is to wash them prior to dying them. This will remove any stains or substances which may affect the even distribution of colored dye. It is a small, yet important step which must not be overlooked. Even if the item seems clean or you have just bought it, you should still wash it before dyeing it.
Then, gather all the necessary materials and keep them at a reachable distance. Here’s what you will need:
- dyeing materials (preferably use fiber reactive dyes instead of “all purposes” dyes),
- tie materials (rubber bands, stripes or strings)
- rubber gloves (to prevent dye from staining your skin),
- a spoon or barbecue tongs to place the clothes in and take them out of the dye
- a container to put the dye in,
- plastic bags to put the clothes after getting them out of the dye (some types of dye require this)
- old towels to wipe any excess of dye which may fall on the floor, on your body or on the furniture.
After you have gathered all these you can start the dyeing process. Choose the pattern you want your t-shirt to have and tie it accordingly. If you want circles, then tie it in a tube-shape. If you want horizontal stripes, plead the fabric vertically, if you want vertical lines plead it horizontally, while if you want an abstract pattern simply fold the fabric according to your momentary inspiration.
You may need some practice until you get the perfect pattern, but nothing can turn out perfect from the first time! Actually, that’s the point – tie-dye is all about creativity and a bit of chaos. So, do not get discouraged if the first t-shirt is not what you wanted it to. It just may turn out to be your favorite design!
The actual dyeing technique depends on the type of dye you choose. Some dyes require the clothing to be pre-treated with soda ash, while others do not; for some dyes you will need to get the clothes wet, while others work perfectly with dry clothes too. Thus, read the instructions on the dye tube carefully and follow them step by step in order to get the perfect look with minimum effort.
The dyeing process cannot be completed in one day because the fastening materials cannot be removed before the fabric is completely dry. Thus, even though you may feel tempted to untie the strings as soon as you have got the fabric out of the dye bucket, refrain from that and wait until the fabric is 100% dry so that the colors will not mix. After the rubber or strings are removed wash the fabric in cold water to remove excess dye and reveal the actual color of your clothes. Do not use soap as it may interfere with the dye!
Tie dye is an easy technique to get fascinating patterns and unique clothing. Use it to spice up your daily look, to make your Halloween outfit or as the main activity in a “flower power” party.