Tye and Dye Old Cloth

Ever wanted to color your own clothes in a way differently, with patterns and colors of your own choice ?

This is a tye and dye instructable where I have taken an old cloth for a makeover.

1. Old or new Cloth piece (preferably cotton)
2. Threads for tying
3. Dye colors
4. Pan
5. Bucket

1. Take the cloth and fold it in a triangular shape so that it has three ends.
2. Make a knot at each of the corners. These knots will make the first base of the color,i.e., white.
3. Do it for the remaining three corners.
4. Now fold the triangle again to make another smaller one, and tie a knot at its apex. Do see the photos for better understanding.

As shown in the figure, now you need to take the threads and tie knots at equal intervals along the length of the cloth.

Don't tighten the cloth keep it slack as shown.

Make sure the knots are tight enough.

Next is to boil water in a pan with one teaspoon of salt.

This helps in making the color stronger and helps in retaining it.

To the boiling water, add the dye color.

Make sure you go in a sequence of lighter shades to darker only.

Dunk the tied up cloth into the boiling water, let the cloth absorb the color.

Keep it for 2 minutes in the pan and remove.

Make sure it is completely drenched.

Now transfer the Cloth into a bucket with normal water, to drain out excess color.

Repeat the tying process as shown.

1. Boil water with salt
2. Add the cloth
3. Drench it in color
4. Drain excess color
5. Let it cool

Follow the same steps to color it red.

The dyed cloth will look like this.

It is preferred to untie the knots after the cloth has been completely dried.

Now one by one, start untying and see the wonderful colors emerge.

Here is your masterpiece. It can be used as a pillow cover to get an ethnic look, a stroll, a bandanna or just a wall hanging.

This can be implemented to coloring tee shirts.

I will be putting up an instructable for tee shirt painting soon this week.

Enjoy, favorite and vote!!