Time
Total: 1 hour
Difficulty
Beginner
Supplies
- Nike By You Tie-Dye Kit
- Cotton Garment (Must contain no less than 60% cotton)
- Plastic Container
- Wire Rack
- Scissors
- Plastic Wrap
- Blow Dryer
- Iron
Instructions
- Prewash fabric in warm, soapy water without any fabric softener. This helps to remove any finishes that may interfere with dye absorption.
- Wring out excess water and leave fabric damp.
- Lay fabric on a flat, clean surface and scrunch randomly.
- Place scrunched fabric on a wire rack over a container to prevent dye from puddling underneath.
- Cover scrunched fabric entire with ice.
- Sprinkle powder dye directly onto the ice, one colour at a time. More powder will yield darker results. For more white space, use very little dye.
- Allow ice to melt all the way through.
- Once ice has melted, allow fabric to sit and absorb the dye for 30 minutes.
- To help set the dye, wrap fabric with plastic wrap and apply heat with a blow dryer. 5 minutes per side. Alternatively, place the wrapped fabric in the sun for 3 hours. Heat opens up the fibers in the fabric to allow for maximum dye absorption
- Remove fabric from plastic wrap and rinse thoroughly in cool water until rinse water runs clear. This is a very important step to prevent bleeding.
- Carefully remove any rubber bands with scissors.
- Dye patches separately or secure onto fabric prior to dyeing.
- To properly secure patches, place patchers on fabric as desired and press for 15-30 seconds using a household iron. Do not move the iron around.
- For added security, use a needle and thread to sew patch onto fabric using the backstitch. For sewing machines, zigzag stitch works best. Wash in cold water with a mild detergent.
