Halloween Tie-Dye
Get ready for spooky season with a thrifty project that’s tie-die for
The temperature says it’s still summer, but my heart says it’s time to start planning for Halloween. That means it’s time for a Summerween craft. I ordered some shirts from an online secondhand site last year and finally got around to dyeing them this weekend. Here’s a step by step tutorial for an easy Halloween-colored tie-dye swirl shirt.
Materials:
100% cotton shirt (or other natural fibers)
Fabric dye (for this tutorial: orange, green, purple, black)
Squeeze bottles
Gloves
Rubber bands or twine
Plastic bag
Water
Instructions:
Step 1: Pre-wash the shirt to remove any substances that could prevent color adherence.
Step 2: Wet the shirt when ready to dye and wring out any excess water.
Step 3: Make sure you’re wearing clothes you don’t mind getting stained in case of spills. Work outdoors or in a sink to minimize mess and accidental staining. Glove up to protect hands.
Step 4: Mix dye in squirt bottles according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Step 6: Using a clamp or a fork, squeeze the shirt and begin to twirl into a spiral shape.
Step 7: Continue twirling and gathering outer edges of the fabric until the shirt is fully gathered. My example here shows a spiral from the center, but the spiral can also be done from one of the corners.
Step 8: Use twine or rubber bands to secure the shape of the shirt.
Step 9: Use black dye to create three separate sections on one side of the shirt.
Step 10: Fill in one segment with orange dye.
Step 11: Fill in one section with green dye.
Step 12: Fill in one section with purple dye.
Step 13: Flip over and cover back side with black dye.
Step 14: Put shirt into a plastic bag and let sit for approximately 24 hours.
Step 15: Remove the shirt and take off the rubber bands or twine. Save to reuse for the next project if possible.
Step 16: Rinse shirt in cold water until water runs clear. Machine wash on cold in a separate cycle to prevent bleeding onto other fabrics.
Take a look at Instagram for another version I made in 2022 with a swirl starting in the corner of the shirt instead of the center: