Follow the instructions below to make a tie dyed tee shirt in a unique spiral design.
Materials:
Bucket or Sink
Water Supply
Pre-washed cotton T-Shirt(s)
Empty squeeze bottles
Soda Ash
Salt
1/2″ diameter dowel rod (about 12″ – 18″ long)
Rubber bands
Dyes in the following colors:
Yellow
Turquoise
Fuchsia (or Red)
(Minimum, you could also use Purple, Navy, if desired.)
Plastic bags
Large Garbage Bag
Masking Tape
Old towels
Total Time:
48 hrs.
Actual t-shirt work time:
1 Hour – 1 1/2 hours.
Procedure:
Mix 3 tablespoons of soda ash and 3 tablespoons of table salt per 1 gallon of water. I used 2 gallons of water.
Soak the pre-washed t-shirt over night in this solution.
In the meantime, mix your dyes according to directions and pour each color into a squeeze bottle.
Wring out the t-Shirts and place on a table that is covered with a large garbage sack or plastic that has been taped down. Smooth out the T-Shirt, having it very flat with no wrinkles.
This next step goes much better if 2 people work together on a shirt:
Place the end of the dowel rod on the top middle front of the tee.
Gradually, with some pressure down, twist the rod clock wise. The shirt will start to twist around the rod. Make sure that the fabric remains flat as it twists, do not let it twist up the stick. Also, make sure that the folds in the twists are small and even.
Gradually twist the entire shirt into a disc shape, including the sleeves. You may have to kind of fan fold and push the sleeves into the disc.
While one person is holding the stick steady, the other person should start securing the shirt with lg. rubber bands.
The twisting and banding take the most time of the whole project. Once this is done, the fun begins!!!!
Think in wedges of color and also think ahead on how the colors will mix to make secondary colors. Put down an old towel on top of the plastic before adding the dye. Start with the yellow dye. Squeeze the yellow from the center out, making a wedge that is about 1/4 or more of the disc. This will not only be yellow, but will make the green and orange, too.
Next, on part of the yellow on one side, add the turquoise…this will make green. Then squeeze more of the turquoise from the center down, to get your blue shade. On the other side of the yellow wedge, use the red or fuchsia to make the orange, then more of that from the center out to make a wedge of pure “red”. From there you can use the blue and red to make varying shades of purple, or you could use purple dye and wedge out the colors to finish this side…
Next…put the t-shirt disc in a plastic bag, seal and let stand for several hours. (Overnight is better.)
When ready, rinse the disc under cold water, blot, remove rubber bands, rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Wring out, wash shirt in cold water machine wash, and then dry in the dryer. Colors will lighten up somewhat. Wash separately for at least one more washing.
Too cool, you have made a one-of- a -kind T-Shirt!!!!!!!
