OLD FASHIONED SUMMER FUN: Tie Dyed Tee's

This is for my upcoming TV spot on News Channel 8 (WTNH) Good Morning Connecticut Weekend show, Saturday, July 19th at 7:23 am

Tie Dyed Tee's
From my book, Summer: A User's Guide

All-cotton white fabric item
1 or more colors of fabric dye
Rubber gloves
Rubber bands
Newspapers or plastic sheeting to protect your work area
Several large plastic buckets or containers for the dye bath
Long handled spoon to mix dye bath
Scissors
An old towel
Paper towels

Note: Always wear rubber gloves when preparing or using dye.

“DIP DYE” PATTERN
From top to bottom, bind your item into three sections.

Create three dye baths with different colors. For each color, dissolve ½ bottle of dye in 2 gallons of very hot water. Always wear your rubber gloves when working with the dye.

Dip the lowest section of the fabric into the dye right up to the rubber band. Hold it there for five to 20 minutes, stirring gently from time to time. Don’t worry if a bit of dye seeps past the rubber band; that’s all part of the tie dye look.

Remove the item from the bath, and rinse the dyed portion thoroughly under cold running water. Don’t remove any of the rubber bands just yet.

Dip the top part of the fabric into the dye right up to the rubber band. Hold it there for five to 20 minutes, stirring gently from time to time. As always, don’t worry if a bit of dye seeps past the rubber band.

Remove the fabric from the bath, and rinse the lower dyed portion thoroughly under cold running water. Remember to not remove any of the rubber bands just yet.

Now, fold the item in half right at the middle section between the two sets of rubber bands. Dip the fabric into the third dye bath right up to both sets of rubber bands. Hold it there for five to 20 minutes, stirring gently from time to time. Remove the shirt from the dye bath and rinse thoroughly. Remove the rubber bands, wash the shirt in a mild detergent, rinse again, and hang to dry.


SUNBURST PATTERN
If you are making a tee shirt, pull up a layer from the center and secure tightly at the base with a rubber band. For other fabrics, decide where you would like the sunbursts to be, then secure at the base with a rubber band.

Pull further - leaving about one half to one inch of space - and secure with a second rubber band.

Working forward, pull the fabric up a few inches further, and secure with a third rubber band.

Create two dye baths. Dissolve ½ bottle of dye in 2 gallons of very hot water for each color to be used. Always wear your rubber gloves when working with the dye.

Dip the center section of the tee shirt or fabric right up to the first rubber band. Hold it there for five to 20 minutes, stirring gently from time to time. Don’t worry if a bit of dye seeps past the rubber band; that will create an interesting look.

Remove the fabric from the bath, and rinse the dyed portion thoroughly under cold running water. Don’t remove any of the rubber bands just yet.

Now hold the fabric by the center section you just dyed, and dip the other side of the fabric into the second color bath right up to the third rubber band. Hold it there for five to 20 minutes, stirring gently. Again, don’t worry if some of the dye seeps past the rubber band.

Remove and rinse thoroughly and carefully. Remove the rubber bands, wash in a mild detergent, rinse again, and hang to dry.