Marble Tie Dye

Marble Tie Dye

So I know I lost my marbles for starting a painting project BEFORE we make the big move before my hubby starts school, BUT it sure will be cute once I finish it up. (Im going with the country yellow french distressed technique! Mmmm.... get excited!) So while you are waiting for my happy sun shiny yellow hutch to be done, here is something fun to do this summer with the kids! I'll start out with an easy one. (MORE TO COME....)

Marble Tie

Supplies:

-Dharma dye (your desired colors, I used dark purple and light purple)

-Soda Ash Fixative

-Dust Mask

-2 buckets (one for soda ash and one for rinsing water)

-8 oz squeeze bottles

-Cooling rack

-Old metal pot

-Paper Towels

-White shirt (onezies, T-shirt, kid shirt, whatever you want)

-Latex gloves (to protect your hands from being dyed)

-Rubber bands or string

-Gallon plastic freezer bags

-Marbles

Now tye dyeing is lots of fun! My family loves to do it! I think you can call us the tye dye family because of the many shirts we have made for family reunions and such. NOOOO!!! We are not hippies but just have alot of fun with it. It's kindof addicting and exciting to see the creations you make. Anywho, we love it!

1. Mix your Dye:

Put on your lovely mask and gloves baby! Lets get started. Combine water with dye gradually in a seprate measuring cup according to dye directions. (they vary but my favorite is Dharma) Pour into squeeze bottles and your ready to go!

2. The Soak:

Grab your bucket. Dissolve 1 Cup of Soda Ash Fixer per gallon of warm water. Soak your shirts (or whatever your tye dying) for about 15 minutes. The soda ash helps your clothing to take in the dye. Reuse until gone with all items your dying. After soaking remove clothing and squeeze out excess so that your garment is damp (not dripping).

3. Marble:

Lay shirt flat on table. Tie marbles onto shirt in whatever pattern you desire.

Then scrunch up the excess material around the marbles keeping it flat. Tie with string or rubber bands. I found the string to be more forgiving. It would stay in place when the rubber bands would slip off. Once tightly tied, place on clean cooling rack.

4. Work Surface:

Place a couple paper towels in the bottom of your old pot to abrorb extra dye and prevent splashing. Place cooling rack on top of pot (or old bowl, tupperware, etc.)

Place prepared shirt on top of rack and grab your squirt bottle of dye.

5. Squirting the Dye:

On this marbled onezie, put dark dye on the marbles. Then light dye on the rest. If you want more white in the shirt, DONT soak it with dye.

6. Zip it:

Place into Zip lock bag. Let sit for 12-24 hours to ensure it takes.

7. Undo it:

Undo ties and take out marbles. Wash and Viola! You have the cutest tie dye baby walking around!

Happy tie dyeing!