We finally got to it! To make it especially fun this year we added a few new colors to our collection including chartruese, bright green, strong navy, and caribbean blue. They were bright and added just the right amount of contrast. Just like last year all supplies were purchased from dharma trading co. I especially like the quality of their boys t-shirts but did not have the best luck with last year's dresses for Maryanna and Clara. Instead, Becca and I have been working all year on collecting and saving all sorts of old stained white clothes that were tie dye worthy. Some were from garage sales and others just old hand-me-downs. Even the dirtiest of whites are worth saving when you are a tie dye addict. This year's theme was "nothing goes home white". Becca put herself to sleep one night just trying to count how many we did - I'm guessing 30+ but I'm sure Becca will correct me on it later.
For the most part we are happy with the results. One problem we faced was running out of the key secret ingredient, Sodium Alginate Thickener which prevents bleeding of the colors. So we did mostly tied scrunches with random color application - that is our no fail technique.
Here is the process:
1. mix dyes (Becca and James especially enjoyed this mad scientist part)
2. dampen garment and then twist, fold, scrunch, tie or sew in any design you wish
3. soak in soda ash
4. carefully apply dye (Becca had to tie dye her sweatshirt after this process)
5. wrap in plastic and let stand over night
6. wake up early (that is easy to do when you have tie dyes waiting - it feels like Christmas morning) and start rinsing and untying your creations
7. Run through a rinse cycle, hang dry and enjoy the color!
There is actually a bit more detail to the process but no need to bore you with the details. If seriously interested though please email me and I'd be happy to share. One more important tip: it is not a good idea to do tie dying when there are 12 young children awake and running around (see Bear Lake lowlights). It is a good activity for kids when there is a higher adult to child ratio if not wait until they are asleep or > 8 years old.
I know that feeling of waking up to tie-dye shirts. I was rinsing them out in my pj's with no makeup or anything because I was just so excited.
ReplyDeleteOoo the colors are so vivid! Nice job. I've never done it the "real" way before.
ReplyDeleteMarie'- You may notice I am rinsing in my purple tie dye jammies from last year and I'm wearing James' sweatshirt! Of course there's no make up or anything, not even a brush, because that's just how it is up at Bear Lake.
ReplyDeleteChocolate on my Cranium- the "real way" is really not that complicated and yields satisfying results. Becca and I kept joking about the old dull and muddy ones we use to make at girl's camp. If we only knew then there was another way would have become dye addicts years ago. Give it a try - your girls will love it !
Al is that a bear lake sheet you tie dyed? You could give a new look to the bear lake house. I am going to save all my stained tshirts this year and maybe when you come visit I will be ready to tie dye next year. The bear lake laundry line is perfect for the tie dyes.
ReplyDeleteAl did you mix the dyes in the blender?
ReplyDeleteEmily- I got the blender from a garage sale $5 - with powder dyes it is best to mix them this was so they are well dissolved. Otherwise you can get spots.
ReplyDeleteThat was an old sheet of Becca's. We thought about dying all the sheets there but thought mom might get mad
We love our tie dies! Thanks Al!!
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