How To Tie Dye In 9 Steps
If you’ve been following along with me on Instagram, y’all know that I’m obsessed with tie-dyeing right now! Is there anything more satisfying than creating something…and then getting to wear it? Nope! My tie-dye wardrobe is growing and I couldn’t be happier. And it’s so easy to do! Follow my step-by-step guide on how to create your own personal tie-dye style using just a few items… most of which you can find around the house!
To see these steps in action, scroll down for a video of how I tie-dyed a white Hanes t-shirt and pair of sweatpants.
What You’ll Need:
- White clothing
- Water, in a pitcher and spray bottle
- Dye in your favorite colors - I’ve been using SEI Tumble Dye from Amazon and I love it! You can also find it at Walmart.
- Gloves are optional, but they do help to keep your hands dye-free!
- A big garbage bag or deep container
Helpful Tips:
You can free-dye, meaning you lay your shirt out on a garbage bag or other surface, like I did a few weeks ago…check it out in my Stay Home Highlights! Or you can use a container. I like to put the clothing in an aluminum tin/casserole dish because I think it creates a cool effect.
Apply tie dye to dry clothing for a bolder, more pigmented look or add water to dilute the dye and create a softer, watercolor effect…which is what I did here!
Watch this video to see my tie dye skills in action and then scroll down for the how-to guide!
Follow these 9 easy steps for a fun and personalized tie dye look!
Step 1: Put your to-be-dyed clothing in a container or on a large bag.
Step 2: If you’re going for a soft, watercolor effect, pour water from the pitcher over the clothing, then scrunch it all up to make sure the pieces are very damp. For a bold look, skip to Step 3!
Step 3: Shake up the tie-dye and spray onto clothing. Spray one coat all over, then go back over it focusing only on certain areas for a patterned effect. Use as little or as much dye as you’d like!
Step 4: At this stage, I like to work the dye into the fabric a bit…which is where those gloves come into play. Massaging the dye into the clothes also helps to create an ombre effect!
Step 5: To dilute the color a bit, if you think you’ve applied too much, spritz it with water from your spray bottle.
Step 6: Repeat Steps 3-5 with each additional color. For this look, I applied two shades of teal…you know I love a monochromatic look. And at the last minute, I added a splash of neon yellow for an extra burst of color!
Step 7: Flip your clothing over super carefully so the un-dyed part is facing up. Repeat Steps 3-6 on the back, just like you did on the front.
Step 8: Let everything soak in for 1-2 hours, until the clothing is mostly dry, but not totally.
Step 9: Pop it in the dryer for 1 cycle. And voila, you have your very own tie dye clothing design!
