How to Tie Dye shirts and make a party of it!

Learn how to Tie Dye shirts at home and my tips for throwing a colorful Tie Dye Party! Let’s get started!

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WHAT TIE DYE TO BUY:

Whether you are throwing a party or just dyeing a few T-shirts at home, I definitely recommend buying a premade kit like this one or this one. The kit comes with everything you will need- the fabric dye, of course, bottles for mixing the dye, rubber bands, and disposable gloves.

HOw TO THROW A TIE DYE PARTY:

BUY WHITE T-SHIRTS: To prep for the Tie Dye Party, I started by purchasing white T-shirts. I chose a variety of sizes, and even though this was a kid’s party, I had enough adult sizes T-shirts as well, should any of the parents want to make a shirt of their own (spoiler: all the parents wanted to make shirts of their own too!)

HAVE LOTS OF PLASTIC BAGS FOR THE FINISHED SHIRTS: Once the T-shirts have been dyed, the dye needs to sit for at least 12 hours or more. So make sure you have enough plastic bags for each T-shirt! This way the guests can each take their T-shirts home at the end of the party. I also printed (and later texted each of the moms) instructions on how to set the dye with vinegar.

PREP WORK SURFACES: Our party was outdoors, so we used the patio table, which I covered with a plastic table cloth.

HAVE YOUR GUESTS DRESS TO PLAY WITH COLOR! I made sure to mention this in the invite too.

DECORATE: with a rainbow of colors or a Tie Dye Party set like this one.

how to tie dye shirts

Here are the instructions on How to Tie Dye shirts.

• Add water to your bottles with the dye powder, following the instructions of your kit. Mix thoroughly.
• Next, use rubber bands to tie your T-shirt. Seen above is the popular and colorful Sprial tie, where you pick up your T-shirt at the center of the front, and then add rubberbands at equal intervals. The rubber band will resist the dye and add streaks of white in a fun pattern!
• Apply the fabric dye by squeezing the color onto the T-shirt.
• You can use one color, three colors, or really as many colors as you wish!
• Apply more dye than you think is necessary, you want the color to seep into the layers of folded T-shirts nicely.
• Now you need to let the dye sit on the fabric for at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours. Ensure that the T-shirt remains wet/moist during that duration by wrapping it up tightly in plastic.

TIE DYE PARTY TIPS:

• Have parents help with the rubber bands and tying of the T-shirts, but let the kids apply whatever dyes they want! The happiness on their faces was everything!
• Besides the plastic table cover, I also saved up a pile of paper bags, so each kid to use the paper bag to catch the excess dye from their T-shirts. This made for easy clean-up!

HOW TO SET THE COLORS: TIE DYE + VINEGAR

• To set your color better, soak the dyed garment in vinegar for about 30 mins.
• Then slowly, remove all rubber bands.
• Rinse out your tie dye shirt completely under warm running water till the water runs clear.
• Wash the T-shirt in the washer with a small amount of detergent and warm water. Let air dry or in the dryer.

THE BIG REVEAL!

Once you learn how to tie dye shirts, you won’t want to stop at one! The reveal is the best part, as you never know what design or colors you will end up with!

BLOG HOP

Hop along the links below to enjoy many more Tie Dye themed craft ideas from Team Creative Crafts! All projects are Tie Dye -themed but so different and unique!

• Laura from Me and My INKlings has created a bright and colorful Rainbow Tie Dye Tote Bag
• Smitha from Smiling Colors is sharing How to Throw a Tie Dye Party, perfect for Summer 
• Shani from Sunshine and Munchkins has created a rainbow Tie Dye Banner
• Laura from Laura’s Crafty Life has a full tutorial on How to Tie Dye Tote Bags
• Justine from Little Dove has created a reusable Tie Dye Fabric Wrapping Paper
• Erica from 5 Little Monsters is sharing Shibori Inspired Tie Dye Swaddle Blankets
• Kelsey from Poofy Cheeks has created a Tie Dye Sublimation Tumbler for Mom

GIVEAWAY:

Enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win our prize! TULIP ONE-STEP TIE DYE KIT with 18 color bottles and all the other supplies needed for a TIE DYE PARTY!! 🙂

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONCLUSION:

Learning how to Tie Dye a shirt never gets old! There are so many different ways to tie the shirt (spiral, crumple, stripes, and even ice dyeing!) each with its own unique result. A fun family craft win!

TIP: Tie Dye color options are endless, try a glitter and glow-in-the-dark dye or Celestial colorway next time!

If you recreate this tutorial and share it on social media don’t forget to tag me! @smithakatti #smithakatti. For yarn projects, find me at @smittenbyyarn #smithaknits #smithacrochets

Thank you for being here today and spending some creative time with my friends. Stay a while longer and enjoy more Kid Craft Ideas here!