Okay, who isn’t going crazy over the tie-dye trend? You can’t escape it. It is everywhere and is back with a vengeance! I have totally succumbed to this fun and awesome trend that has made a comeback in every way possible and it couldn’t have come at a better time! Get ready for this bleach tie-dye DIY!
Since many of us have been quarantined at home lately, it’s comfies all day, everyday! There are tons of cute tie-dye loungewear pieces online to choose from. You probably aren’t seeing many people these days, but you probably want to look somewhat put together and stylish during those Zoom meetings! Although there are some affordable options, some tie-dye pieces are super pricey! You know what I think when I see these overpriced pieces, “I can totally make that!” This is where the desire for this bleach tie-dye DIY came about.
That is what is so great about this trend is that you can actually make some of these pieces at home! You probably already have most if not all of the items you need to do this bleach tie-dye DIY. Here is how you can get onboard with the tie-dye trend for a fraction of the cost.
Supplies You Will Need
- Dark colored garment of choice (black, navy blue, dark gray, brown) I chose a black sweatshirt purchased from Walmart.
- Bleach
- Rubber gloves
- Squeeze bottle (These can also be purchased at any dollar store. Hint: Check the BBQ section.)
- Rubber Bands
Pre-Bleaching Instructions
- Decide what tie-dye pattern you would like for your garment. You can check out some YouTube videos ahead of time for different tie-dye patterns you would like to make. This will give you a better idea of how it will look once done. But don’t worry! It’s very hard to screw this up. I watched this video before starting mine to get some techniques and found it to be very easy to follow.
- Once you decide which pattern you would like to make, you want to start off with your garment damp. Rinse under water in the sink or tub and ring out.
- Lay your garment out flat and twist, roll and wrap up your garment with rubber bands. If your garment is small, you may only need 2-3 rubber bands around it. For anything larger, I would use anywhere from 4-6. I went with the twist technique and started in the middle. Using a pencil can help you twist the garment or you can just use your fingers!
Bleaching Tie-Dye DIY Instructions
- Before beginning to bleach, make sure you are working outdoors or in a well ventilated area. If indoors, the best and place is a shower stall/tub being you will be working with bleach. Leave shower curtain, door, and/or a window open to ventilate the area. If doing on a flat surface other than a shower or tub, make sure to have something protective under it so you don’t bleach the surface you are working on.
- Make sure you are wearing clothes that you don’t care about if they get a little bleach on them. You never know when that squeeze bottle may get out of hand!
- Grab those handy dandy rubber gloves and place them on since no one likes to smell like bleach and let’s get bleaching!
- Fill your squeeze bottle up with 1/2 water and 1/2 bleach. You don’t want to soak the entire garment as you want to keep some areas undyed. A good rule of thumb is to skip every other rubber band section you made with your rubber bands and squirt those areas with the bleach solution. Don’t forget to flip it over and bleach the other side, too!
- Depending on the thickness and the type of fabric you are dying will determine how quickly the color will start turning. Some fabrics will take longer for the bleach to soak in while others will turn faster. For thinner fabrics, leave the bleach solution on for about 10-15 minutes. For thicker fabrics, leave the bleach solution on for 30-45 minutes.
Post-Bleaching Tie-Dye DIY Instructions
- Once the bleach has done its magic, take off the rubber bands and thoroughly rinse out the garment until the water runs clear. I suggest doing so in a bathtub or shower stall.
- Toss the item in the washing machine and wash and dry as normal by itself or with like colors if dying more than one piece together because the wash cycle will alter the dye slightly. Similarly DO NOT wash with any other clothing that you are not tie-dying, as the bleach can bleed to other fabrics it touches.
- Once the garment is dry and ready to wear, try on your new creation and brag about it to all of your friends!
We would love to see what fun tie-dye designs you make when you give this Bleaching Tie-Dye a try! Share your creations with us in the comments section below. We can’t wait to try out the other techniques as well!
Interested in other DIY projects, make sure read to read our post on:
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