By Paula H Atwell
One of the most fun outdoor arts and craft activities to do with your kids during the summer is the art of tie dying t-shirts, pillowcases, socks, and any other clothing or accessories you have that can use some extra color and excitement.
You do not have to be an expert artist or an artist at all to tie dye t-shirts this summer. It is not an expensive craft to do at home, and when you are done, you will have an art project that you can wear proudly, and will last for a very long time, or at least until your kids outgrow the clothes they are wearing this summer. You can find dye kits in any fabric or craft store, or you can buy them online. However, you can also put a dye kit together yourself from some simple ingredients.
Tie dye is actually a very simple process. Once you have selected the material you want to dye, you should wash it to get out any chemical coatings that may be left on from the manufacturer. You can also tie dye old used clothing to brighten it up. White is the best color to dye on, but you can use any light color. The concept behind tie dying is easy to understand. Using rubber bands or string, you bunch up the material and "tie" it. The areas that are tied will not allow any dye to penetrate, therefore you are left with white areas. This is the essence of tie dye. However, there are many patterns that can be created by using the tie dye method. The most traditional pattern is the circle which is formed by grabbing material in the center of the t-shirt, and tying the string around the pulled material. You can form other patterns by folding material then tying it, pleating the material and tying it, or creating scallop shapes and tying it. The more you tie dye, the better you will get and finding new patterns. But even the very first time, you will get excellent results.
You can use as many colors as you want when you tie dye, but if you try to apply every color in the same spot, you may end up with a mud colored shirt. So it is best if you try to plan which colors you will use before you put them all on your shirt. No matter what colors you choose, they will always look darker when wet, so do not be surprised when your shirt dries lighter in color.
Tie dye is a messy project, best done outdoors over a grassy area that can use the extra moisture. You will need very few items to complete your project--just some water, plastic tubs or bins, gloves to protect your hands, white clothing for dying, and the dye. Most tie dye kits supply everything you need except the water and clothing.
Most people use either a squirt bottle or just dip their clothing to apply the dye, however if you want more detail then you can use a paint brush to apply the dye. Whatever you do, just follow the instructions on the dye box to affix the dye, and prepare the clothing to wear. After you are finished, you and your kids will have new clothes to wear all summer long.
I am the owner of Lake Erie Artists Gallery at Shaker Square in Cleveland Ohio and the author of Artist Reviews. Tie dye is a project that I do just about every summer with my own girls. If you are looking for a great tie dye kit to use this summer, take a look at the review I have done for Jacquard Products Tie Dye Kit.
