2024 Studio Post #29 - Tie Dye!

I have wanted to learn how to tie-dye for ages!  Everyone tells me it's so easy, but I just wasn't sure how to go about it. I had set aside three or four garments that had stains but I liked otherwise. I finally went to JoAnn Fabrics sometime in the past year and bought a tie-dye "kit" but was too chicken (or busy) to read the directions and try it.

Then a few cool things came together! At the Akina camp in late July, they provided everyone with black t-shirts and some foam stencils (as well as foam letters, flowers, hearts, etc.). We each decorated our own shirt, then the gal in charge of crafts - Dorenda (?) sprayed bleach water over the foam. This is how my shirt turned out:

 

 

Then the cousins organizing the family reunion asked about people's interest in shirts. Most people said not to bother, so another cousin suggested we tie-dye! Yay! I brought my garments and tie-dye kit, but there were more than enough other supplies to use there! Louie told me I could do a shirt of his first as my "trial" experience. It didn't turn out at all like I was hoping. 

 

Then I tried to do a striped-type thing on my dress. It didn't turn out as I expected, either, but I wore it. I like this dress because it's sleeveless and has pockets. I don't know what I stained it with, but I'm so glad it still fits! I was trying so hard to not be wasteful with the dye that I didn't use quite enough to really get a cool effect. Live and learn!

Another one of his cousins rinsed everyone's tie dyed garments and laundered them all, so I still have the opportunity to practice these skills. I have my kit and I can find more rubber bands. It says that the dye should be used fairly soon after being mixed up, so I'll have to find time to dye a couple different things all in one session. I still need to clean up my studio so I can sew, but I did a creative fabric thing last week!