Things You'll Need
Clothing or fabric
Rubber bands or string
Washing soda
Cold-water dye kit
When you think of tie-dying, you may think of bright circles or swirls of color. You can also make shapes, such as a mushroom, by folding the material in small pleats in the shape of the design and using cold water dyes. The supplies for your mushroom tie-dye come in a boxed kit with the squeeze bottle and dye. These dye kits produce a bright color that is consistent with the tie-dye look.
Step 1
Fold the garment in half vertically. Draw a half of a mushroom shape on one side of the fold with a marker. If you're unsure of your free-hand drawing ability, draw it first on cardboard or paper, then cut out the template and use that to trace around.
Video of the Day
Step 2
Starting at one end where the line meets the fold, make small, tight accordion folds on the line of your drawing. Hold the material in one hand as you are folding so the folds don't come undone. Follow the line to the end. You will only fold along the line, do not fold all the way across the material.
Step 3
Secure the material with a rubber band or string. Holding the folded part tightly in one hand, use the other hand to secure it with the rubber band, or wrap string around it.
Step 4
Mix 1 cup washing soda with a gallon of water in a large bucket and soak the garment for 15 minutes, then remove and squeeze out excess water. This conditions the fabric so the dye will hold better.
Step 5
Pour cold water into the dye bottles, following the manufacturer's directions, and shake the bottles. You need at least two different colors for this project.
Step 6
Squirt one color inside the mushroom shape. Squirt a different color on the material on the outside of it. Saturate the material, and leave it alone for eight to 24 hours.
Step 7
Remove the ties or rubber bands and wash it in cold water.
Tip
Wash new clothing before you tie-dye it.
Other shapes, such as a heart, can be produced using the same method.
Cotton or linen is the best fabric to use for tie-dying because it is a woven fabric.
Warning
Polyester will not dye.
Video of the Day