Spider & Reverse Spider Tie Dye

The spider fold is a variant of the spiral fold wherein the shirt is folded in half vertically down the middle before it is twisted into a spiral shape. The spiral begins in the upper middle of the shirt, on the fold. Typically, multiple colors are applied to one side as described in the spiral article, then a dark color, typically black is applied to the entire other side of the the shirt.

An alternate dyeing method is to follow the above directions to dyeing the one side, then dye the other side with the same colors (for a more uniform dye), or with contrasting colors. Manipulate the article by squeezing to make sure the dye has penetrated, then leave it to allow batching. Make a solution of dark dye (brown, black, or navy, depending on your color scheme), using three to four times the usual amount of alginate thickener. The result will be a very gelatin like dye solution. After it has batched for an hour or so, use a foam brush and apply the dark thick dye to the entire garment (front, back, and sides). The garment will look very dark, but it will be gorgeous when done. Remember that the ultra-thickened dye will only sit on the outer edges of the item and will not penetrate at all. Continue to batch the item, then rinse and wash as usual. A longer batch time is recommended in order to get the full dark color.

The shirt in the photo above used navy blue as the thickened layer, and as you can see it does not overpower the shirt, but enhances it.