Remember when tie-dye was all the rage?
It might’ve started in the 60s as part of U.S protest art but its popularity endured into the 90s, after hitting a high point in the decade prior.
And after a lifetime of waxing and waning, the colourful style has stayed true to form and had a resurgence in 2020.
While most of us are under lockdown thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, we’re embracing hobbies once more.
And in the first line of attack is our wardrobe (or perhaps second, after baking).
We’re Marie Kondo-ing the contents of our dressers, taking up knitting, sewing and just generally transforming our wardrobes.
And over on YouTube and TikTok, tie-dying is making the rounds right now.
Popular creators are currently loving the stuff and teaching their followers how to create the easy colour staples.
Content creator Lauren Riihimaki, for example, recently uploaded a video entitled Tie-Dyeing Everything In My Closet Cuz I’m Stuck At Home which has half a million views.
And there are various quick tutorials on TikTok where users are dying their tracksuits and hoodies.
It seems to be a popular new hobby for the youngsters, allowing them to upcycle their wardrobe while we socially distance.
The most popular items to dye have been loungewear which, with a bit of bleach and colour, are transformed into high street retailer level goods.
And you can upscale your own wardrobe too, using items that are likely to be around the house.
If it’s your first time, start with something simple like an old T-shirt.
How to tie-dye at home
- To create a spiral on your shirt, first lay it flat on a countertop or table. Then, put your thumb and index finger in the center of the shirt. Begin moving them in a circular motion, spiraling the shirt around the center point
- When you have spiraled the entire shirt, use large rubber bands or strings to tie the shirt. You will need to create at least six sections, so use at least three rubber bands or strings over the shirt. It should be roughly round-shaped, and have ‘pie slices’ with the addition of the ties
- For a more intricate pattern, use more ties. Make sure that there is one center point at which they all cross though.
- Soak your shirt in lukewarm water or a soda ash solution for 20 minutes
- Prepare your dyes. Each dye package should come with directions listing specific amounts and proportions of dye to water
- To create colours that are more pastel or faded, use more water and less dye. To create bright, vibrant colors, use most of the dye in the package and not so much water
- Dye your shirt. Keep the dye in the bowls to do a layered dip tie-dye, or carefully pour them into spray bottles. To do a dip dye, pick up your shirt and dunk it into the dye in different places. You can soak the whole shirt in a single color and then dip the shirt (after ringing the initial color out) into other bowls of dye. Using a spray bottle to dye your shirt is easy; simply squirt the dye onto the desired area, layering colors if desired
- Let the dye set for 5-6 hours
- Rinse out the dye. Wearing rubber gloves, take the shirt out of the plastic bag and unwrap any string or rubber bands that you used. Then, rinse it with cold water in your sink to remove any excess dye
- Wash your shirt. Throw your shirt into your washing machine by itself. Put the wash setting on cold water, and wait for the process to finish
- Dry it and wear it.
To see each step in pictures, visit the WikiHow page.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/05/tie-dying-making-comeback-life-lockdown-12511806/?ITO=squid
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