Tie Dye Kits, Tips, and Techniques

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Tie Dye Kits - Techniques and Instructions for Tie Dyed Shirts

Feeling creative or just looking for a craft to do with the kids? Try tie dying! And now you can get a tie dye kit that includes a variety of colors so you don't have to purchase each color separately.

Very simple and fun. Imagine having your own intricate, vibrantly designed shirt that you create yourself. No one else will have one just like yours.

Read on to find what materials are the best and learn some of the tie dying techniques.

Fabric - Best Fabric for Tie Dying

It's All About the Fabric!

When it comes to tie dye, the right fabric is critical. Natural fibers - like cotton or linen, pick up the dye well. If you stick with 100 percent cotton, you can't go wrong.

Choose t shirts for everyone! Don't forget Mom and Dad. Get one for each family member, and make it a party!

Remember, though, that you need to wash and dry the new garments before you start your tie dying party. Unwashed new fabric won't pick up the dye very well.

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If you run low on the soda ash, use baking soda!

Tie Dye Kit

Create Your Own Dazzling T Shirts!

A good quality tie dye kit is important if you want your colors to stay as vibrant as the first day you colored your t shirt or cami.

This tie dye kit comes with great reviews. Customers write that the kit is easy to use and the colors remain vibrant for a long time.

The dyes in this kit are permanent, unlike the supermarket dyes. Reviewers also write that the bottles are durable and can be used over and over.

Kit includes:

* 1 pair rubber gloves
* 4 squirt (mixing) bottles
* Bunch of rubber bands, 1/3 lb of dye fixer
* Premeasured red, blue, and yellow dye.
* Enough to dye up to 15 adult t-shirts.

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Secret of the Dyes

Tie Dying - Which Dyes to Use

Actually, the dyes you use to tie-dye aren't a big secret.

For cotton, you need to use a dye that will react well to the fabric, namely Procion MX, dissolved in a urea solution. You can make virtually every color imaginable with just three colors:

- Yellow
- Turquoise
- Fuchsia

But, before you start dying, you need to soak your fabric in soda ash. Tie dye artisans use a few other chemicals as well, which you can learn about on an instructional DVD or video such as Learn How to Tie Dye

Tie Dyed T Shirts

Do You Have a Favorite?

Tie dyed t shirts have been around since the 60's, but have become a new favorite for today's casual wear.

Now, you see young and old wearing all kinds of clothing items that are tie dyed. My favorite is the t shirt, especially the ones with Pink Floyd!

Vote for your favorite on the list below. Feel free to add your favorite if you don't see it!

Rainbow Tie Dye Unisex 100% Cotton Tee shirt, straight cut,

Rainbow Tie Dye Unisex 100% Cotton Tee shirt, straight cut,

10% cotton classic straight unisex cut tie dye tsh more...1 point

Sundog Cranberry Swirl Tie-Dye S/S T

Sundog Cranberry Swirl Tie-Dye S/S T

The Sundog Cranberry Swirl. 100% cotton short slee more...1 point

Sundog Peace Sign Tie-Dye S/S T

Sundog Peace Sign Tie-Dye S/S T

Sundog 100% cotton short sleeve shirt with peace s more...0 points

Adult Classic Retro Swirl Tie-Dye S/S T-Shirt - ON SALE

Adult Classic Retro Swirl Tie-Dye S/S T-Shirt - ON SALE

The Retro Swirl Classic. 100% cotton short sleeve more...0 points

Sundog Twilight Swirl Tie-Dye S/S T

Sundog Twilight Swirl Tie-Dye S/S T

The Sundog Twilight Swirl. 100% cotton short sleev more...0 points

Sundog Adult Sports Swirls Tie-dye Tee

Sundog Adult Sports Swirls Tie-dye Tee

Sundog Adult Sports Swirls. 100% cotton short slee more...0 points

Sundog Green Sunflower Tie-Dye S/S T

Sundog Green Sunflower Tie-Dye S/S T

The Sundog Sunflower. 100% cotton short sleeve shi more...0 points

Learn How to Tie Dye

Tie Dying - "Learn How to Tie Dye" complete 3-volume set

If you have ever been to a craft fair or outdoor market, there is a pretty good chance that you have seen those eye-catching booths full of colorful tie dye t shirts and scarves. Maybe you even marveled out how they managed to capture those intricate designs on a plain t shirt.

While intricate tie dying is truly an art, you and your family can have loads of fun at home making your own tie dye (or tye dye) creations. Hands down, the best way to learn how to tie-dye is through instructions demonstrated on a video or DVD. Seeing how it's done, as opposed to reading about it, makes all the difference in the world. An excellent choice is the Learn How to Tie Dye

Still, tie dye is a process of trial and error, so why not give it a whirl (or a swirl)?

"Learn How to Tie Dye" complete 3-volume set

Amazon Price: $49.95 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

One happy customer wrote this review.

"In the unique world of Tie Dye, I am a professional who has made thousands of T-shirts, sheets, curtains, baby clothes and even boxer shorts...Tom & Martine have created nothing shy of the "Holy Grail" of How to Tie Dye DVD's. I have never seen anything that comes even close to the quality of this set. If you know absolutely nothing about tie dye, buy this DVD set and you will have every necessary piece of information you need to make amazing tie dyes."

Applying the Dye

Tie Dye Kits Make This Super Easy

There are at least six different techniques you can use to apply the dye to your fabric, from dipping and soaking to using squeeze bottles and spray bottles. Again, someone with years of experience can best teach you how to apply dyes to get the results you want.

Another Tie Dye Kit that has very good reviews is the Funky Groovy Tie Dye Kit .

Jacquard Funky-groovy Tie Dye Kit

Amazon Price: $9.40 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

Great Customer Reviews:

"THIS KIT WAS AWESOME!! I have used many tie dye kits but this kit was by far the best! The colors are gorgeous and stay vibrant even after many washings. Its messy but any tie dye kit is... thats half the fun!"

"This kit was fun and easy to understand. It was a great hit at my daughters 2 year birthday party."

"I love this tie dye kit. The dyes are great quality. The colors are actually the true primaries: cyan, magenta, and yellow. This allows for the best mixing results."

Make that Dye Stick!

Wash Properly to Make Your Dye Last


After tie dying your shirts or decor, it's important to follow the steps necessary to make sure the dye reacts with the fiber. Then you need to repeatedly wash the fabric in a special solution so that the dyes don't inadvertently mix and so the garments remain colorfast.

Ultimately, though, tie dye is all about having fun. It can be a family adventure, a fun way to spend a weekend afternoon with friends, or a way to indulge the creative hippie within you.

Patterns Are the Best Part of How to Tie Dye!

Be Creative with your Twists and Knots

Tie-dye is all about colors and patterns. Learning how to make swirls, crinkles, stripes, wavy lines, hearts, clovers, and - yes - even peace signs is a great way to engage the creativity of everyone in the family.

You can learn:
-How to tie knots
-How to twist fabric into pancake shapes secured by rubber bands
-How to roll shirts to form tubes, which you then tie
-How to pleat the fabric to make symmetrical patterns.

Tie Dye! The How-To Book

Amazon Price: $7.58 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

Tie dying is an ancient art form developed in the Far East over a thousand years ago. This user-friendly book will show you how to create seven unique and beautiful designs. Clear, simple instructions, including photos of each stage of the tying and dying, will guide you through the process.

Postive reviews:
"This book was an excellent how-to book for beginners. I found the diagrams of how to tie the fabric very helpful."

"The folding instructions are great! "

"I've purchased several tie dye books and DVDs, this is my primary "go to" book. Author does a fantastic job:

1. Tells you at a high level the end-to-end process of tie dying
2. Has text, accompanied by black and white photos on how to tie.
3. Has at least one color photo of each finished tie dye project."

Have Fun With Your Tie Dye Style!

Let Your Inner Hippie Be Free!

Tie Dye Patterns - Double Spiral Pattern

Double Spiral Pattern for Tie Dye Shirts

How to Tie Dye Shirt Designs : Double Spiral Pattern for Tie Dye Shirts
by expertvillage | video info

736 ratings | 510,223 views
curated content from YouTube

Tie Dye Patterns - Vertical Roll Pattern

Vertical Roll Pattern for Tie Dye Shirts

How to Tie Dye Shirt Designs : Vertical Roll Pattern for Tie Dye Shirts
by expertvillage | video info

162 ratings | 129,588 views
curated content from YouTube

Tie Dye Patterns - Concentric Circle Patterns

Concentric Circle Patterns for Tie Dye Shirts

How to Tie Dye Shirt Designs : Concentric Circle Patterns for Tie Dye Shirts
by expertvillage | video info

301 ratings | 307,207 views
curated content from YouTube

Tie Dye Patterns - Vertical Accordion Patterns

Vertical Accordion Patterns for Tie Dye Shirts

How to Tie Dye Shirt Designs : Vertical Accordion Patterns for Tie Dye Shirts
by expertvillage | video info

261 ratings | 282,308 views
curated content from YouTube

Is This Your First Time for Tie Dying?

Share your experiences!

Is this going to be your first time to try tie dying? Be sure to let us know how successful your project is.

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Our family loves crafts and tie dying is at the top of the list! more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Jacquard T-Shirt Tie-Dye Kit  

Camoflage

Jacquard T-Shirt Tie-Dye Kit (Camoflage)

Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

* Made in the USA - Multi-lingual Instructions
* This kit will help you create beautiful two-tone dyed pieces
* Instructions include many variations of 3 tie dye patterns.
* Each kit contains two applicator bottles with colors chosen to specifically complement each other
* Kit contains vinyl gloves, rubber bands and 1/3 LB of soda ash dye fixer

Jacquard Indigo Tie Dye Kit 

Create beautiful two-tone dyed pieces!

Jacquard Indigo Tie Dye Kit (Mini)

Amazon Price: $7.25 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

* Made in the USA - Multi-lingual Instructions
* This kit will help you create beautiful two-tone dyed pieces
* Instructions include many variations of 3 tie dye patterns.
* Each kit contains two applicator bottles with colors chosen to specifically complement each other
* Kit contains vinyl gloves, rubber bands and 1/3 LB of soda ash dye fixer

Jacquard T-Shirt Tie-Dye Kit 

Amethyst Jewel

Jacquard T-Shirt Tie-Dye Kit (Amethyst Jewel)

Amazon Price: $4.30 (as of 02/14/2012)Buy Now

* Made in the USA - Multi-lingual Instructions
* This kit will help you create beautiful two-tone dyed pieces
* Instructions include many variations of 3 tie dye patterns.
* Each kit contains two applicator bottles with colors chosen to specifically complement each other
* Kit contains vinyl gloves, rubber bands and 1/3 LB of soda ash dye fixer