Making Art: Tie-Dye Designs, Patterns, Colors

3-color or triple-dipped donut & rosettes

For rosettes, pinch up a few large sections of the T-shirt and tie tightly at the base with string or rubber bands...

Create “donuts” by pushing the tip of some of the rosettes back through the rubber bands...

Before starting to dye, put on rubber gloves and prepare all dyebaths. For each color, dissolve 1 package RIT powder dye or 1/2 cup RIT liquid dye in about 2 gallons very hot water. For dark or bright colors, prepare each dyebath in a 12-quart stainless steel pot, then heat on stovetop to a temperature just below simmering.

Starting with the lightest color, immerse the shirt in the dyebath for 4 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove shirt from dyebath and rinse under running cool water until water runs clear. Do not release ties.

Add a few more rosettes and donuts to the shirt, then immerse the shirt in the next darker color for 4 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove shirt from dyebath and rinse under running cool water until water runs clear. Do not release ties.

Create more rosettes and donuts as in step 4. Immerse in darkest color dye, then rinse under cool running water until water runs clear.

Release ties and rinse until water runs clear. Wash the T-shirt in warm water using a small amount of mild detergent. Rinse thoroughly in cool water. Gently squeeze out excess water by rolling shirt in a clean old towel.

Machine dry or hang to dry.

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2-color marble

Crunch the T-shirt into a bundle, then randomly stretch rubber bands or tie string or cloth strips around T-shirt in a criss-cross fashion...

Before starting to dye, put on rubber gloves and prepare all dyebaths. For each color, dissolve 1 package RIT powder dye or 1/2 cup RIT liquid dye in about 2 gallons very hot water. For dark or bright colors, prepare each dyebath in a 12-quart stainless steel pot, then heat on stovetop to a temperature just below simmering.

Wearing rubber gloves, immerse the bundle in the dye. With spoon, stir and turn the bundle for 4 to 15 minutes or until the color is a little darker than desired.

Remove T-shirt from dyebath and rinse the bundle under cool running water until the water runs clear.

Cut ties and rinse until water runs clear. Gently squeeze out excess water with a towel.

Re-tie as directed in step 1, tucking some of the colored sections into the middle of the bundle.

Repeat dyeing as in step 3 with the next darker color. Rinse as above.

Release the ties and rinse under running water until water runs clear. Wash T-shirt in warm water with mild detergent, then rinse in cool water. Gently squeeze out excess water by rolling shirt in a clean old towel.

Machine dry or hang to dry.

2-color marble

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3-color or tri-color dip dye

Tie the T-shirt crosswise tightly into thirds.

Before starting to dye, put on rubber gloves and prepare all dye baths. For each color, dissolve 1 package RIT powder dye or 1/2 cup RIT liquid dye in about 2 gallons very hot water. For dark or bright colors, prepare each dye bath in a 12-quart stainless steel pot, then heat on stovetop to a temperature just below simmering.

Dip one of the outside sections of the shirt into the dye bath to just below the first tie. Without splashing, gently move the section in dye bath for 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove shirt from dye bath and rinse just the dyed portion with cool running water until water runs clear. Squeeze out excess water. Do not release ties.

Holding the shirt by the two outside sections, dip the center section of shirt in the next dye bath to just below the top and bottom ties. Move section gently back and forth for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse the just-dyed section as in step 4 above.

Repeat steps 3 and 4, on the last section of the shirt.

Release the ties and rinse under running water. Wash in warm water with detergent; rinse in cool water. Gently squeeze out excess water by rolling shirt in a clean old towel.

Machine dry or hang to dry.

double process
3-color dipped on top of 1-color donut

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ombre or shadow dyeing

Before starting to dye, put on rubber gloves and prepare all dyebaths. For each color, dissolve 1 package RIT powder dye or 1/2 cup RIT liquid dye in about 2 gallons very hot water. For dark or bright colors, prepare each dyebath in a 12-quart stainless steel pot, then heat on stovetop to a temperature just below simmering.

Immerse T-shirt in dyebath for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Lift the T-shirt from dyebath until 2/3 remains in dyebath. Gently move this section back and forth for 5 to 10 minutes.

Again, lift the T-shirt from dyebath until 1/3 remains in dyebath. Move the immersed section gently back and forth for additional 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from dyebath.

Rinse T-shirt under cool running water, holding lightest color section at top and allowing rinse water to flow down over darkest area until water runs clear. Wash in warm water with detergent, rinse in cool water. Gently squeeze out excess water by rolling shirt in a clean old towel.

Machine dry or hang to dry.

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spiral

Lay the shirt flat on a flat surface. Pinch the center of the shirt with a clip-style clothespin, and then begin twisting the shirt somewhat tightly around the pin until it becomes a thick, flat disk. Have a helper tie a 2-inch wide cloth strip around the outside edge of the disk. Remove the pin and tie two or three more cloth strips across the disk.

Before starting to dye, put on rubber gloves and prepare all dyebaths. For each color, dissolve 1 package RIT powder dye or 1/2 cup RIT liquid dye in about 2 gallons of very hot water. For dark or bright colors, prepare each dyebath in a 12-quart stainless steel pot, then heat on stovetop to a temperature just below simmering.

Wearing rubber gloves, dip half of the disk into the dye to just below the cloth strip across the center for 4 minutes. Do not allow the dye to seep above the strip.

Remove shirt from dyebath and rinse just the dyed portion with cool water until the water runs clear. Gently squeeze out remaining water with a towel. Do not release ties.

Repeat steps 3 and 4, above, with the second color, then with the third color, giving the disk a 1/4 turn each time, so that half of the first portion of the disk that was dyed and half of the remaining undyed portion of the disk will be immersed in the dye.

Release the ties and rinse the shirt under running water. Wash in warm water with detergent, rinse in cool water. Gently squeeze out excess water by rolling shirt in a clean old towel.

Machine dry or hang to dry.

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2-color double spiral pattern

Double Spiral Pattern for Tie Dye Shirts

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twist

Starting with one corner, twist the entire shirt into a rope, then continue twisting until it curls. Tie the ends together with rubber bands or string...

Before starting to dye, put on rubber gloves and prepare all dye baths. For each color, dissolve 1 package RIT powder dye or 1/2 cup RIT liquid dye in about 2 gallons very hot water. For dark or bright colors, prepare each dye bath in a 12-quart stainless steel pot, then heat on stovetop to a temperature just below simmering.

Starting with the lightest color, immerse the shirt in the dyebath for 4 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove shirt from dye bath and rinse under cool running water until water runs clear. Release ties and continue rinsing until water runs clear.

Re-twist and tie as above, tucking some of the colored sections into the middle (or twist from a different corner). Dye with next darker color(s).

Remove shirt from dyebath and rinse under cool running water until water runs clear. Release ties and rinse until water runs clear. Wash the T-shirt in warm water using a small amount of mild detergent. Rinse thoroughly in cool water. Gently squeeze out excess water by rolling shirt in a clean old towel.

Machine or hang to dry.

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Gold brown, jade olive

Olive jade

Purple, turquoise

Cherry red, turqouise, lilac, brown

Bronze, gold brown

Turquoise, brown

Peacock blue, yellow

Raspberry, brown, turquoise, bronze

Deep purple, turquoise

Jade brown, turquoise, olive green

Green apple, yellow, olive

Pink, lavender, turquoise

Peacock blue, turquoise

Chocolate brown, bronze, yellow red

Fire red, orange brown, orchid

Pink, purple

Turquoise, lavender

Raspberry, violet, lavender

Lavender, brown, turquoise

Midnight blue, jade, golden brown, turquoise, purple

Gold brown, yellow, bronze, purple

Lavender, brown, turquoise

Gold, orange, lavender

Brown, jade, turquoise, bronze

Bronze, gold brown, redwine, purple, jade, olive

spiral camouflage, bottom starting point

under-arm spiral

v-necked

4-color off-axis v-neck technique

3 greens, scrunched

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2-color horizontal accordion

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2-color vertical accordion

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2-color vertical roll pattern

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2-color vertical double roll

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1-color two-way striped

Gather the shirt into accordion-like folds...

...Then fold the gathered fabric in half. Band tightly with cloth strips every 2 or 3 inches...

Before starting to dye, put on rubber gloves and prepare the dyebath. Dissolve 1 package RIT powder dye or 1/2 cup RIT liquid dye in about 2 gallons very hot water. For dark or bright colors, prepare dye bath in a 12-quart stainless steel pot, then heat on stovetop to a temperature just below simmering.

Immerse the shirt in the dye bath for 4 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove shirt from dye bath and rinse under cool running water until water runs clear. Release ties (if using scissors, take care to avoid cutting shirt).

Starting from a different side, refold shirt as directed in step 1 above. Immerse the shirt in the same color for 4 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove shirt from dye bath and rinse under cool running water until water runs clear.

Release ties and rinse until water runs clear. Wash the T-shirt in warm water using a small amount of mild detergent. Rinse thoroughly in cool water. Gently squeeze out excess water by rolling shirt in a clean old towel.

Machine dry or hang to dry.

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sinew tied

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mudmee tie-dye

Use fiber reactive dyes like Procion MX and Drimarene K for this effect in cotton, or naphthol dyes (not generally found in the US). The dark border where the red and green dyes overlapped look like fiber reactive dyes as naphthol dyes can be used for very sharp color transitions. [Click here to see details larger.]

It appears that the shirt was first dyed a dull pale yellow overall. Next, the shirt was tied in various designs - Small circles near the center line, random crumples around the circles,and tight accordion pleats starting at the bottom corner. The circles and the accordion pleats were bound very tightly (with string, floss, artificial sinew, etc.). The shirt was flooded with a great deal of red and green dye, possibly thickened with alginate to keep it from running together. The shirt was probably then allowed to dry for a bit. Finally, thickened black dye, mixed very strong with a lot of dye powder, was carefully applied to parts of the tied circles and pleats. The soda ash required for the Procion or Drimarene dye may have been used as a pre-soak and then line-dried before dyeing. Or it may have been added to the dye colors themselves.

Alternative methods might include using dry textile, pre-soaked with soda, then applying vivid colors and then applying thickened black dye to wet (from vivid color dyeing) textile.

The red and green looks as if they mixed where they met so the only control may not have been thickening, but careful judgment, steady hand, judicious amount used.

bubble pattern

Soak the t-shirt in soda ash. Dry the t-shirt. Gather individual circles on the t-shirt and tie tightly with artificial sinew. Submerse the t-shirt in a pot of dye.

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Begin by folding in half...