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TIE-DYE DIY

We show you four easy techniques for creating tie-dye clothing at home

Revealed
Abby McHale
15th July 2019, 10:30 pm

WANT to get some colour in your life with this season’s hottest trend? If so, you can DIY – dye it yourself.

Hippy Seventies trend tie-dye has made a huge comeback and you can sort it yourself for far less than it will cost you on the High Street.
Getty Images - Getty
Tie-dye, the ’70s hippy trend has made a huge comeback this season and is all over the High Street

Create whatever colour combinations and patterns you like – and get the kids involved.

ABBY McHALE tests out techniques and gives her verdict on the best ways to create.

What you need
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The tools for tie-dying are easily found in the home

YOU NEED:

  • washing-up bowl or sink
  • wire cooling rack
  • powdered hand-wash fabric dye (available in most craft shops from £3)
  • empty plastic bottle with twist-cap nozzle
  • rubber gloves
  • plastic bags

EXTRAS (depending on your chosen method):

  • pebbles
  • elastic bands
  • household bleach
  • fork
  • dental floss

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

  • Place the cooling rack over basin
  • Add a tablespoon of dye in the colour of your choice to an empty plastic bottle, fill with water and shake well
  • Dampen the clothing you want to dye, by pre-washing it or holding it under a cold tap and squeezing off excess water before you begin to dye. If it is dry, the dye will run off.

Pebbles
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A plain white T-shirt can be totally transformed using some pebbles and dye

AN easy way to create circular patterns on your clothes – just make sure you have elastic bands to hold the pebbles in place.

  • T-shirt, £8, Boohoo –

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Step 1: Lay the pebbles down over the rack

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Step 2: Place the T-shirt down over the pebbles. Wrap your T-shirt around the pebbles using elastic bands to hold them in place

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Step 3: Squeeze out dye, covering your garment only in the areas you want a pattern to emerge

Abby’s verdict: This was one of the easiest methods and one of the most effective. But try not to use too much dye as some of the circles did merge together. I would definitely wear this T-shirt – it looks like something you’d pick up on the High Street.
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Abby thought this was one of the easiest methods and she was pleased with the results

Fork

IT is not only white clothing that you can dye. Darker items such as this black T-shirt can be bleached, then if you wish, dyed over the top of the bleach.
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It’s not just light-coloured clothing that you can use for tie-dying
  • T-shirt, £8, Boohoo –

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Step 1: Lay the T-shirt out on a flat surface and place a fork in the centre

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Step 2: Using the fork begin to twirl clockwise until you can’t twirl the fork any more. By this point it should have made a circular shape

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Step 3: Add elastic bands to keep in place

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Step 4: Cover areas you want to dye – and watch the bleach do its magic

Abby’s verdict: The most effective method. The fork left a great swirl pattern and the bleach really made a difference on the black T-shirt. The design is almost perfect. I love this one and can’t believe how well it’s turned out
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Abby found the fork technique to be the most effective and loved the patterm

Shoe lace

A GOOD method for dyeing larger items, such as a maxi dress or trousers. Make sure your shoe lace is long enough to span the width of the garment, plus a little extra on either side. Tie two laces together if it does not quite reach.
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For longer items such as maxi dresses the shoe lace method is most effective
  • Dress, £39, JD Williams –

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Step 1: Place your garment out on a flat surface with the lace at the bottom

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Step 2: Make sure both ends of the lace are visible and roll the garment upwards

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Step 3: Once fully rolled, take both ends of the lace and make into a circle

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Step 4: Tie the ends of the lace together and begin to place the dye where you want

Abby’s verdict: An easy method to grasp – and the results turned out better than expected. It gave the desired ombre effect it was meant to. I love it. Great for summer and really stylish.
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Abby found the method easy to grasp and, more importantly, it worked!

Dental floss

ALL you need to do for this method is raid your bathroom cabinet for dental floss. It will result in a fun, striped effect.
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The dental floss method is one of the most simple ways to tie-dye at home
  • Skirt, £19.99, New Look –

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Step 1: Lay skirt on flat surface and fold it into inch or so wide pleats, fanning from one side to other

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Step 2: Use dental floss to tie around the skirt, use as much as you like depending on how many stripes you’d prefer

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Step 3: Place skirt on a rack over a sink or bucket, to avoid making a mess, and cover in your preferred dye

Abby’s verdict: This is a simple method and gives great results. Even though I covered the skirt with two dyes, there is a lot that’s been left as plain white, but I do like the subtler effect. The floss make the pattern more symmetrical too.
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Abby liked the subtle effect of the dental floss method
  •  With thanks to Hobbycraft.
    ASOS is selling leather mini skirt that’s held together by neon laces
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