A Tie Dye Tutorial

Hello there! Over the weekend, I taught a crafting class to a few preteens and teenagers. The craft we worked on was tie dye t-shirts. If you haven't heard of or tried your hand at "tie dye", the name is a dead giveaway. 

The "tie" part of the process is folding a t-shirt in different patterns, then tying rubber bands around it to secure the pattern. Dye {in different colors} is then added to produce another layer to the design. The result is a handmade, one-of-kind t-shirt that will surely impress friends when you say, "I made this!"   

If you're curious, here's what we did:

There are many tie dye techniques available, but a tie dye kit makes the process a breeze.

Here's what you'll find inside: plastic gloves, squeeze bottles filled with pre-measured powdered dye, rubber bands, and an instruction manual.

The ideal t-shirt to use are the light colored ones with natural fibers. But go ahead and experiment with old t-shirts {blah to TADA!} or fabrics to give them a new look. 

It's also suggested that the t-shirt be washed beforehand to remove sizing. Also, don't apply any fabric conditioner or dryer sheet on it. These may prevent the dye from adhering to the t-shirt.

Now it's time to tie! There are many ways to fold and create patterns on the shirt. Here are some of the ones I used:

Here is the bulls eye. 

This is the stripe.

Here is the swirl.

And this is the crumple.

There are many more folding techniques that you can look up. Just make sure to tie the bands tightly.

And now the messy part.

Cover your work space with a plastic tablecloth or an inexpensive/old shower curtain because a lot of tinted splatter is expected. 

As an extra precautionary layer, I used a plastic tub {ex. basin or shoe box} or large bowl that I lined with a big plastic bag {ex. garbage or shopping bag}.

Put the tied-up t-shirt inside the tub.

Then, wear the plastic gloves. 

Open the squeeze bottles carefully and add lukewarm water. The more water added will yield a lighter color, the less water used produces a more intense shade.

Replace the cap tightly and shake until the dye is dissolved.

Carefully remove the cap covering the spout of the bottle. Then apply the dye to the t-shirt. Make sure the dye has penetrated into the folds. Turn the t-shirt every so often to get color on all sides. 

Add the colors randomly or add a different color per section. Also, it's not necessary to dye the entire shirt. The dye will eventually spread and it's also alright to have the original color of the shirt appear in some parts.

Once satisfied, wrap the shirt in the plastic bag lining the tub/bowl. Roll it up and let it sit in a secure area {away from pets, kids or food}. Leave this alone for 6 to 8 hours {or overnight}. Allow the t-shirt to absorb the dye.

After 6 to 8 hours, you can now rinse the t-shirt under running water. You'll have to pick-up the shirt to move it around and wring it so keep you gloves handy.

You'll notice that dye will flow from the shirt. You have to rinse the shirt until no dye is present and the water runs clear.

Once the water is clear, wring the t-shirt and remove the rubber bands with scissors {these can be untied so that they can be used again}.

An important note on laundry: wash and dry tie dye projects separately from other clothes. Make sure to wash separately for the first few washes.

And now I present, a tie dye t-shirt!

Here's another one. 

Each one unique, each one TADA!

Sweet Paul: Eat and Make

Happy Monday Lovelies!

If you're a crafter, you must have heard of Paul Lowe, also known as "Sweet Paul". Among his many talents, he owns an inspiring website and publishes his own magazine!

I've enjoyed his work ever since I stumbled upon his blog. The pictures he styles are a visual feast. His recipes and crafts are both easy and approachable.

So when the opportunity came to meet him, I didn't pass it up.

It all happened at the Hoboken branch of Anthropologie on a beautiful Spring evening.

I really like how this store has a regular schedule of meet-the-author events across all their branches.

You see, Sweet Paul just launched a book called Eat and Make. And as a treat, I got myself a copy. 

Sweet Paul adding an inscription to my book!

We got to chat a bit and underneath all those tattoos is a teddy bear, a sweet man indeed.

The "Eat" part of the event: cheese and charcuterie.

There was wine, too!

A table was also set-up in the store for a night of cocktails and crafting.

The "Make" part of the event: we made these paper flowers.

They are made of dyed {Rit Dye} coffee filters...

...and colored Q-tips, all attached together with floral wire.

These are just some of the flowers we made...TADA!

Beads and Blooms

I'm playing around with dryer sheets.

I first use them in my laundry, then I recycle the sheets as fabric for crafting.

I found this pattern in Martha's book.

I traced the pattern onto the dryer sheet.

I placed a second dryer sheet underneath {for added weight and thickness}. Then I secured these on an embroidery hoop.

I'm using these seed beads to add color to the design.

Stitch the beads onto the dryer sheets with needle and thread. 

I used embroidery stitches for the leaves.

Trim off the excess dryer sheets around the hoop so that the hoop doubles as a frame.

Here's the beaded flower ready to be displayed or given away as a gift. TADA!

You can also use dryer sheets as party decorations, a hair accessory, an envelope or Halloween accents.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Forever Daffodils

When I do my laundry, one of the products I use are dryer sheets.

Instead of tossing them after use, I like to collect them. They're quite useful come craft time.

Because spring has sprung, daffodils abound. And I like to preserve them in some way.

Draw or trace a daffodil on a dryer sheet.

Add a second sheet and put these on an embroidery hoop with the daffodil sketch on top.

Fill it in with embroidery stitches.

Isn't it pretty?

Cut away the tails of the dryer sheets for a neat edge.

And look, dryer sheets have transformed from blah to TADA!

If you can, stop by on Friday for another idea.

Recycling Dryer Sheets

Happy Monday! I hope you had a nice Easter weekend.

This week on the blog, we'll turn dryer sheets from blah to TADA!

These sheets leave a mild fragrance and prevent static cling to my laundry. I know, I must find a more sustainable option. That's why I'm using the spent sheets for crafting. They're a good alternative to fabric.

Because they're sheer, it's easy to trace letters.

Spell out a favorite word.

Add another sheet underneath and mount these tightly on an embroidery hoop.

Now, time to embroider!

We'll use the embroidery hoop as a frame, too. Just trim off the excess dryer sheets.

And here we have handmade, heartfelt art. TADA!

See you back on Wednesday for another idea.

Happy Easter!

Wishing you hopeful and happy beginnings!