How to Tie Dye

If you look up the definition of funky fresh in the dictionary, there will most likely be a phrase describing a gentleman in a tie die shirt with dreads. If you are trying to achieve the funky fresh look, it is easier to tie die shirts than wait for your hair to grow long enough to put dread locks in. So today, if you continue reading, you will learn how to turn heads by being funky fresh with awesome tie dye.

Tie dye hit its peak in the 1960 when it was used as a form of expression of individuality in the west. It was also very popular amongst rock bands to use silk or cotton banners as back drops for their concerts. Examples if these rock bands would be The Grateful Dead, Janice Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Just because it hit its peak in the 1960s tie dye has been around as early as the 6^th century. This art form became a traditional method that is still used today in India, called bandhani, even though it was also used in Japan in Africa at that time as well.

Now that you know about the history of tie dye, continue reading to make a funky fresh shirt of your own.

·         Materials: white t-shirt, water, dye(use primary colors or good mixing colors), rubber bands, bucket or something that can hold water, rubber gloves (optional so you don’t dye your hands), and possibly bottles for the dye if they aren’t supplied.

·         rinse the plain white shirt in warm to hot water. This is important because hot water holds the dye better. Make sure the shirt is completely wet and there are no dry spots, if there are dry spots the shirt will remain white in comparison to the rest of the shirt. Then ring the shirt out of excess water.

·         Step 2: lay out your shirt flat. Pinch one spot where you want the spiral to begin, traditionally in the center (multiple spots if desired) and twist until shirt is fully twisted.

·         Step 3: Take rubber bands and place rubber bands around the shirt (four rubber bands should work, place rubber bands to make it look like a sliced pizza).

·         Step 4: take desired colors of dye and alternate them between the sliced sections. It is important you pay attention to what colors you are using because if they do not blend well together, the dyes may make a brown color which may not be desired, normally the primary colors work best. The primary colors include red yellow and blue. The four rubber bands will make 8 sections. Make sure to get into folds and make sure the dye goes all the way through.

·         Step 5: take the rubber bands off carefully and lay the shirt out flat where it can dry. Best results happen when you let them dry overnight, or completely dry.

·         Step 6: when dry, rinse the shirt in a bucket or sink with hot water. This will also work best if you use hot water, because it holds the color. Rinse shirt until the dye no longer bleeds from the shirt.

·         Step 7: You can now wash and dry the shirt. Warning: Do not wash with other clothes because some of the dye will bleed from the fabric and dye the other clothes in the washer and maybe even your skin.

·         Step 8: Be funky fresh

Now that you have completed the tie dying process you can now begin to look funky fresh! With the few simple steps listed above you have now gained the skill of tie dying a t shirt. Now you can go out and express yourself through your clothing just as many great artists in the past.