Tie Dye Camper!
June 3 2019
Camp season is just around the corner. And, if you haven’t heard yet, tie dye is back in! Instead of over spending on store-bought items, why not spend a day creating camp gear with your kids! Not only will it be some great bonding time, you’ll also get to create things that will be super unique and special to them. We gave it a go with some standard camp items, like that tee they’ll be wearing all summer long, a bandana, a backpack and even a pillowcase!
Supplies
- Rit All-Purpose Dye (We Used Coral, Tangerine, Aquamarine, Teal and Neon Green)
- ColorStay Dye Fixative (Recommended)
- White Cotton Tee
- White Cotton Bandana
- White Cotton Drawstring Backpack
- White Cotton Pillowcase
- Plastic Squirt Bottles
- Plastic Container (Used for Pillowcase Design Only)
- Rubber Bands
- Wood Blocks (Used for Pillowcase Design Only)
- Salt
- Baking Rack and Tray
- Measuring Cup
- Plastic Gloves
- Plastic Table Cover
Time
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Difficulty
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Instructions
Tie Dye Tee
- Prewash tee in warm, soapy water. This helps to remove any finishes that may interfere with dye absorption.
- Lay tee out on a flat surface.
- Decide where to place the center of the spiral. Then position your fingers around the center point and slowly begin to twist tee in a spiral direction.
- Wrap 3 rubber bands around tee to hold spiral together.
- Wearing rubber gloves, mix 2 tablespoons of well-shaken liquid dye with two cups of hot tap water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Pour into a squirt bottle. Shake well. Repeat for each color. For this tee, we used Tangerine and Coral.
- Place tee on baking rack with a tray under it. This keeps the dye from puddling under the fabric.
- Squeeze dye onto tee. We alternated colors amongst the sections that were created by the rubber bands. Flip the tee over and squeeze dye onto the corresponding sections on the other side.
- To help set the dye, we recommend using your microwave. Wrap the dyed tee in plastic wrap and seal the edges. Place the wrapped tee on a paper towel in the microwave and heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Plastic will puff up, creating a heat chamber that helps bond the dye with the fabric. Once the microwave is done, remove the tee and open the plastic, letting it cool down.
- Before removing the rubber bands, we strongly recommend using Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative on the tee. It enhances the color, increases color retention and prevents dye from bleeding into white areas. Follow these instructions.
- Carefully remove rubber bands with a scissors and unfold the fabric. Wash in warm water with a mild detergent, rinse and dry.
Tie Dye Bandana
- Prewash bandana in warm, soapy water. This helps to remove any finishes that may interfere with dye absorption.
- Scrunch bandana into a ball. Wrap rubber bands around fabric to hold it together.
- Wearing rubber gloves, mix 2 tablespoons of well-shaken liquid dye with two cups of hot tap water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Pour into a squirt bottle. Shake well. Repeat for each color. For this tee, we used Tangerine and Coral.
- Place tee on baking rack with a tray under it. This keeps the dye from puddling under the fabric.
- Squeeze dye onto bandana in random sections.
- To help set the dye, we recommend using your microwave. Wrap the dyed fabric in plastic wrap and seal the edges. Place the wrapped fabric on a paper towel in the microwave and heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Plastic will puff up, creating a heat chamber that helps bond the dye with the fabric. Once the microwave is done, remove the shirt and open the plastic, letting it cool down.
- Before removing the rubber bands, we strongly recommend using Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative on the tee. It enhances the color, increases color retention and prevents dye from bleeding into white areas. Follow these instructions.
- Carefully remove rubber bands with a scissors and unfold the fabric. Wash in warm water with a mild detergent, rinse and dry.
Tie Dye Backpack
- Prewash backpack in warm, soapy water. This helps to remove any finishes that may interfere with dye absorption.
- Lay backpack out on a flat surface.
- Decide where to place the center of the spiral. Then position your fingers around the center point and slowly begin to twist backpack in a spiral direction.
- Wrap 3 rubber bands around backpack to hold spiral together.
- Wearing rubber gloves, mix 2 tablespoons of well-shaken liquid dye with two cups of hot tap water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Pour into a squirt bottle. Shake well. Repeat for each color. For this tee, we used Neon Green.
- Place backpack on baking rack with a tray under it. This keeps the dye from puddling under the fabric.
- Squeeze dye onto the entire backpack. Flip the backpack over and squeeze more dye on backpack.
- To help set the dye, we recommend using your microwave. Wrap the dyed backpack in plastic wrap and seal the edges. Place the wrapped backpack on a paper towel in the microwave and heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Plastic will puff up, creating a heat chamber that helps bond the dye with the backpack. Once the microwave is done, remove the backpack and open the plastic, letting it cool down.
- Before removing the rubber bands, we strongly recommend using Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative on the backpack. It enhances the color, increases color retention and prevents dye from bleeding into white areas. Follow these instructions.
- Carefully remove rubber bands with a scissors and unfold the fabric. Wash in warm water with a mild detergent, rinse and dry.
Pillowcase
- Prewash backpack in warm, soapy water. This helps to remove any finishes that may interfere with dye absorption.
- Accordion fold or “fan fold” the fabric in 4 ½” wide folds down the length of the fabric. Now, accordion fold or “fan fold” the long rectangle into a 4 ½” fabric square. Sandwich the fabric square between the 4” blocks of wood. Secure “sandwich” with rubber bands to tightly hold the fabric square together.
- Fill a plastic container or stainless steel sink with two gallons of hot water.
- Wearing rubber gloves, add 1/4 cup of well-shaken dye to container. We used Teal. Add one cup of salt.
- Add sandwich to bath. Move around for 3 to 5 minutes.
- We strongly recommend using Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative immediately after dyeing and before washing. It enhances the color, increases color retention and prevents dye from bleeding into white areas. Follow these instructions.
- Carefully remove wood blocks and rubber bands. Unfold the fabric. Wash in warm water with a mild detergent, rinse and dry.
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