Supplies
- Rit All-Purpose Liquid Dye: Black and Sunshine Orange Used Here
- Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative (Reccomended)
- White Cotton Bag
- Squirt Bottles
- Rubber Bands
- Baking Rack and Tray
- Measuring Cup
- Rubber Gloves
- Plastic Table Cover
- Paper Towels
Time
1 HourTotal:
Difficulty
Beginner
Instructions
- Prewash treat bag in warm, soapy water. This helps to remove any finishes that may interfere with dye absorption.
- Scrunch treat bag into a flat ball.
- Wrap rubber bands around the scrunched bag 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 bag, we used Black and Sunshine Orange.
- Place bag on a baking rack with a tray under it. This keeps the dye from puddling under the fabric.
- Squeeze dye onto bag 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 bag and open the plastic, letting it cool down.
- Before removing the rubber bands, we strongly recommend using Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative on the treat bag. It enhances the color, increases color retention and prevents dye from bleeding into white areas. Follow package instructions. For this project, we filled a squirt bottle with 1/4 cup Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative and 2 cups of hot water.
- Carefully remove rubber bands with a scissors and unfold the fabric. Wash in warm water with a mild detergent, rinse and dry.
