Clothes to Dye For!

Yesterday I did some tie-dying...something that I usually have done at camp where it didn't really matter how it turned out because it was a camp shirt that I would probably only wear to bed after that. But yesterday...I took an old, raggy LnA v-neck shirt that I absolutely adored (and in turn, wore out) and made it into something that I can wear again, all for $free.99! Instead of throwing my beloved shirt away, I was able to make it new again, and probably saved money since now I don't have to buy a new shirt. Instead of tie-dying clothes that I probably won't wear, I found that it is better to use a shirt or clothing item that you will constantly wear. In just 10 minutes, I updated my wardrobe, and spiced up an outfit. Now I won't be dreading wearing that shirt, but instead will be looking for fun ways to wear it!

Some ideas to wear with tie-dye items...vneck tie-dye shirt with skinny black or denim jeans and blazer, off the shoulder shirt with tie-dyed headband, tie-dyed socks peeking out from boots, tie-dyed bed sheets or curtains/tapestry, or tie-dye a summer dress. For my shirt I used a lot of blue dye, with some purple sprinkled in here and there. I also tie-dyed my shirt dry. In the past I have soaked it in water, but then the dye will bleed, and it works all the same. Also, when you are washing the dye out after 12-24 hours, wash it in cold or lukewarm water...hot water may take away from the color. Pick a color theme for your clothing canvas, for example, stormy (blue and purple), neon (yellow and orange), rainbow (all colors), and so forth. Be weary of the colors that bleed and blend into brown. There are a ton of different patterns you can do, but in the end, don't think too much about it because it will most likely not turn up exactly the way you want. Do a little spiral in the middle, rubber band it from all sides, and start adding the dye! On dry cloth, the dye takes time to soak in, so do it slowly and rub the tip of the dye bottle on the cloth to help it stain. Make sure to really soak the shirt with dye, and stick the cap into the shirt to get the middle of the clothing article. When you are satisfied, put the tie-dyed item into a plastic bag, and let it sit for 12-24 hours. The next day, wash and enjoy!