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deep skin tone female model standing in park wearing black and blue tie dye long sleeve shirt smiling and holding a yellow daisy by her ear

Photo: Benigno Hoyuela

california made me do it

How to Tie Dye

Picture this: the afternoon-slipping-into-evening-smell kicks in, the temperature dips just so slightly, the mood shifts, and the colors begin to melt…

Written On 2/16/2022

What better way to take the vibes to the next level than with a DIY tie dye sesh?

When you really think about it, tie dye is like a fcking reincarnation of this very moment…but like in clothing form. That's pretty damn cool.

So here's what you'll need:

  1. Some white apparel; (bonus points if you have an old white band tee lying around).
  2. Clothing dye. You can buy a kit at any craft store... or Amazon, but we like to support local businesses, ya know?
  3. Rubber bands, plastic gloves, Ziploc bags, and squeeze bottles if you didn’t get the kit.
  4. A bucket.

Step 1:

Turn on some music/pump up the jams. Try this Spotify profile which has playlists organized by colors and the feelings they evoke. If you’re REALLY cool, listen to the colors you’re tie dying with.

Step 2:

Wash your clothing item. It needs to be dampened to absorb in the dye so either wash it the day of and don’t let it dry completely or just get it damp.

Step 3:

Mix the dye and water in the bucket. (Whether you bought the dye or a kit both should have details on how much water to add.)

PRO TIP: Use some old white socks or a white rag to test out your colors before you tie dye your final item.

TROUBLESHOOTING: Too light? No problemo sis. Add some more dye to the mix.

Too dark? Well you can guess. Add some more water.

Step 4:

For the classic, you-can’t-go-wrong spiral style, lay out your item flat. Grab the center with your hand and twirl. Once the fabric is bunched together, wrap on some rubber bands to hold it tight.he tighter the better; (bonus points if you do some Kegel exercises when you wait for the tie dye to dry).

Step 5:

Slick on the gloves like your favorite character in Grey’s and squeeze the dye onto the shirt in whichever order your heart desires.

Step 6:

Slip your item into a plastic bag and seal it. Let it sit for 6 to 8 hours; (now is the time for the Kegel break).

Step 7:

Once it’s dry, it’s time to rinse, wash and wear baby.

stay groovyyy

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