With July 4th almost here, I realized this will be another year my kids don’t own a single red or navy t-shirt for the fireworks. Not exactly a tragedy, I know. Then I saw how cute red, white and blue tie dye can look (on Alpha Mom’s Blog) and knew my kids would love to try tie dying their own shirts. I can’t believe how great they turned out!
We bought a tie dye kit at Michael’s and some white tank tops from Target. The kit came with red, blue, and yellow dye in bottles. We followed the directions: soak the shirts in soda ash (included in kit) for twenty minutes, then we brought the operation outside.
We decided to do a swirl pattern. I pinched the fabric in the center of the shirt, twisted the shirt in a spiral and added rubber bands about one inch apart. (Instructions for this were also in the kit.)
The kit came with one pair of gloves which I gave to my older daughter, my younger daughter wore her Tinker Belle gardening gloves and I wore kitchen gloves. I let the girls squirt the dye on the shirts themselves.
After dying, place the shirts under a plastic bag for six – eight hours to stay damp. Then, take the rubber bands off and wash in washing machine with a little soap.
My girls are very excited about the July 4th shirts they made themselves! Can you tell?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
what a great idea! I’m heading to Michaels tomorrow to get my kit! thanks!!!
I’m so glad you like the idea!