Tulip Tye Dye

Tie dye has come a long way in simplicity and technique over the years.  Until this project, I hadn’t played with tie dye since childhood, and I remember it being a huge mess.  Wasn’t there something about boiling water, and dying in the washer?  Isn’t that only for t-shirts?  That is why I was a little skeptical about trying out this product, but I am so glad I participated!

Tulip Tie Dye is a cinch to use, and tie dye is not just for the t-shirt these days.  With the “just add water” applicator bottles, protective gloves included in their kits along with the handy surface protector, cleanup was no hassle.  In my box were two 3-Color Tie-Dye Kits, one Paradise Punch and one Tropical Fruit.  You can see all of the available colors at I Love To Create – One Step Tie Dye Products.  If you don’t see the exact shade  you have in mind, know that these dyes are mixable so you can create custom colors.  I accidentally bled orange and teal together in a hobo purse I dyed, and the effect was a gorgeous burnt sienna agains the vibrant turquoise and orange!  It ended up being my favorite finished piece.

 

If you think you can’t make a gorgeous tie dyed piece because you have no idea what to do to make those funky designs, fear not.  The product insert (pictured above) has you covered with detailed step by step photo tutorials of illustrating 8 different techniques.  Here are some example techniques you can find over at I Love to Create.

There is something for everyone.  Today, I will show you how I made this ombre neck tie, a perfect Father’s Day gift idea.

• Following the instructions in the insert, I pre-washed the tie blank (purchased at Michael’s) and let it dry to dampness before beginning.

• With gloves on and work surface covered,  I filled the bottle with water, shook to mix until the dye powder was dissolved, and applied dye to top 1/3 of damp tie.  The instructions say to use half the bottle, but that was way to much for my lil’ tie, so I poured out the extra liquid into a container for later use.  Left with half the dye, I filled the applicator bottle full with water to dilute the dye for the next segment of the tie.

• Again, I applied the diluted dye to then next middle segment of the tie, discarded extra dye to leave 1/2 bottle remaining, filled the bottle with more water and applied this to the last segment.

• To finish, I covered the tie with the plastic and let it sit for about 5 hours. I then washed by itself in a larger load setting, with a small amount of detergent per package insert.  Line dry… done.

There were so many techniques I wanted to try that I went a little nuts.  Here are some purses I made for graduation gifts this year.  I found the blanks at Joann Fabrics, but you could whip one up yourself in no time.

One more shot of the tie…

Tulip Tie Dye Kits are available at Walmart, Walmart Canada, Michaels, JoAnn, A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby, Hancock Fabrics, Meijer. Tie dye kit contents and colors may vary by store.

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Disclosure:  I received product and payment for this post.  All opinions expressed in this post are authentically mine.

Check out these great projects using Tulip Tie Dye: