Easy Summer Craft: Sharpie Tie-Dye

If you’re like me, you are always on the look-out for something fun, crafty and kid friendly to keep your littles entertained and out of trouble. To me, the quintessential summer craft is tie-dye and thanks to modern fashion it is making a major comeback. But, alas, IT IS MESSY. I remember dying t-shirts as a kid. It seemed like we spent hours wrapping, and dipping and painting and invariably one of us turned a body part blue and permanently stained a piece of furniture. These are childhood memories I cherish, but a housekeeping catastrophe I was not eager to repeat as a mom. Then I recently stumbled upon this method and after a bit of experimentation on my part, I am declaring it the: minimal-mess, super-child-friendly, wicked-mom-friendly, method for bringing tie-dye joy to the masses.

[typography font=”Cherry Swash” size=”30″ size_format=”px” color=”#44c3c7″]Materials[/typography]

White T-shirt

Sharpie Markers

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubber Bands

[typography font=”Cherry Swash” size=”24″ size_format=”px” color=”#44c3c7″]Basic Method[/typography]

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[typography font=”Cherry Swash” size=”24″ size_format=”px” color=”#44c3c7″]Traditional Method[/typography]

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[box style=”rounded” border=”full”][typography font=”Cherry Swash” size=”24″ size_format=”px” color=”#44c3c7″]Tips and Tricks[/typography]

If you like you can use an embroidery hoop to hold the material taught, but my 2-year old did fine without it.

You can also place a piece of cardboard between the layers of the shirt if you don’t want the design to bleed onto the back.

A great resource for making amazing Tie-dye designs can be found here[/box]

Basic Method

1. Spread shirt on a washable surface. If you like you can use an embroidery hoop to hold the material taught, but my 2-year old did fine without it. You can also place a piece of cardboard between the layers of the shirt if you don’t want the design to bleed onto the back.
2. Uncap desired sharpie and draw your design.
3. Once your design is finished, saturate it with rubbing alcohol.
4. Hang to dry.
5. Launder and ENJOY!

Traditional Method

1. Roll, fold, and/or gather the shirt and secure the material with rubber bands.
2. Color the shirt between bands with sharpies.
3. Saturate the shirt with rubbing alcohol.
4. Let shirt sit for a few minutes before removing rubber bands.
5. Hang to dry.
6. Launder then Enjoy.