Tie-dye isn’t only for T-shirts: You can brighten your bedroom with cotton sheets and pillowcases tie-dyed on your favorite color combo. Vary the designs for your liking — create spirals on the pillowcases, as an instance, and watery plaid-like patterns over the sheets by using variations in basic tie-dye techniques. You can even make a duvet or comforter cover by sewing with a tie dyed along with a plain sheet plus three sides, then adding snaps or buttons and buttonholes across the open left hand side.
Preparing and Tying the Fabric
Read the dye product instructions to test for compatibility with your cloth material. Most seams work best with white cloth that’s 100 percent cotton. In case your sheets are a cotton-polyester mix, utilize a compatible dye. Also notice instructions for preparing the cloth, like any additives required for the wash wax and water solution.
Wash the sheet according to the dye product instructions. Generally, you must wash with a mild detergent and avoid using fabric softener. Some dyes require adding washing soda to the water. Don’t dry the stuff after washing.
Expand the moist sheet outside on a clean surface, like a clean kitchen. Fold and tie the stuff to create a bundle for dying. There several primary techniques for tying the material: Produce a spiral from pinching the cloth in the middle of the piece and twisting until all the cloth is wrapped into a circular shape resembling a pie. Tie the pie-shaped bundle with twine tightly across its diameter. Using eight to 10 ties in a spiderweb configuration. Another process is to pinch up cones of the cloth and then tie them in periods, repeating this layout across the cloth. For a third way, pleat the material in accordion folds and tie at intervals.
Tie the cloth bundle using twine, rubber bands or zip ties, making sure all are snug and tight.
Mixing and Applying the Dye
Protect your work place with a plastic sheet topped by several layers of newspaper. Establish plastic tubs for blending the dye solution. Wear rubber gloves when handing dye.
Mix the dye solution in a plastic tub, subsequent to the dye product directions. Some products need adding salt into the solution, and some specify a temperature range. Affordable plastic bins or tubs are great for this.
Implement the dye into the tied, damp sheet. Based on the appearance you want, it is possible to immerse the cloth in the solution or apply the wax straight to specific areas. To use the direct application process, fill out a clean plastic squeeze bottle with dye solution and squirt the liquid onto the areas you need dyed, making certain the solution soaks them nicely. You can use more than 1 shade with this particular method. Apply the lightest colour first, then apply successively darker colors till the sheet is completely colored. Squeeze out excess dye.
Remove the sheet from the dye bath following the amount of time given by the product label. Squeeze the bundled cloth to remove excess dye.
Put the dyed fabric to your plastic garbage bag to get a sheet or a gallon zip-top bag to get a pillowcase. Seal the bag. Let it sit at room temperature for four to 24 hours so the dye can cure and penetrate the fibers. Longer curing times bring about brighter colors. Consult your dye product instructions for specific recovery times.
Remove the cloth from the bag at the end of the curing time. Cut the ties and then undo the bundle. Rinse in cool water until the water runs clear. Hang to dry. Follow the dye product label for washing instructions. Most products suggest washing the dyed cloth separately in cool water for at least the first couple of washes.
