Tie-dye is one of those timeless summer prints that is also a fast and fun project to do at camp. But when you’re at camp, you don’t have to worry about buying all the dye, getting rubber bands, and setting up the colorful bins for dipping. You just show up with your shirt. If attempting tie-dye at home, it becomes a little more laborious: If you’re like me and often do projects on the fly, it might become a headache before it becomes a really cool finished product. That’s where the Sharpie® comes in! Is there anything you can’t do with a Sharpie®? I wanted to do something with tie-dye or fringe or both for the July 4th holiday and I only had a small window to get it done (side-note: I know I can just buy red/white/blue clothes, but that’s not as fun!). I did a search online for ideas and found Sharpie® tie-dye. DONE and DONE. To achieve the tie-dye effect, you only need 4 things (in addition to your piece of clothing): Sharpie markers, cardboard, rubbing alcohol and a spray bottle. Keep reading for more of the process…
Materials:
- Sharpie® colors of your choice
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Spray bottle
- Cardboard
- Light color clothing
Instructions:
Step 1: Once you have selected your clothing, slide a piece of cardboard inside to protect both the back of your apparel and the surface you’re coloring on.
Step 2: Pick your colors and start drawing! NOTE: Do not use black since it does not “bleed” to make the tie-dye effect.
Step 3: Grab your spray bottle filled with the rubbing alcohol and start spraying your design. The more you spray an area, the more it will bleed and create the tie-dye effect.
Step 4: When you are happy with the look of your tie-dye, place the garment in the sun to dry. And then have fun wearing it! (Note: My eldest didn’t like how her American flag shirt came out because of the black line, but I thought it was pretty cool!)
