DIY Project

Fabric and sewing

Spiral tie-dye shirt

Twist a white shirt into a spiral, add dye in pie slices, and unwrap a rainbow swirl the next day.

Spiral tie-dye shirt
LevelAdvanced
AgesAges 6 to 10
Time1 hour plus 6 to 8 hours setting
Cost$12 to $20

What you'll need

Materials

Tick them off as you find them.

Tools

How to make it

Safety

Work outside on plastic, wear gloves, and only a grown-up mixes the dye powder.

  1. Step 1: Wet the shirt
    1

    Wet the shirt

    Soak the shirt in water and wring it out until it's damp, not dripping.

  2. Step 2: Twist the spiral
    2

    Twist the spiral

    Lay it flat. Pinch the center with your fingers and twist until the whole shirt is a flat round swirl.

  3. Step 3: Band it
    3

    Band it

    Wrap 3 or 4 rubber bands across it so it looks like a pie cut in slices.

  4. Step 4: Mix the dye
    4

    Mix the dye

    Grown-up step: put on gloves and add water to the dye bottles outside, following the kit. Dye powder shouldn't be breathed in.

  5. Step 5: Add the colors
    5

    Add the colors

    With gloves on, squirt a different color into each pie slice. Flip it over and do the back.

  6. Step 6: Let it set
    6

    Let it set

    Wrap it in plastic and leave it 6 to 8 hours, or as long as your kit says.

  7. Step 7: Rinse and wash
    7

    Rinse and wash

    Rinse in cold water until it runs mostly clear. Cut off the bands and wash it alone the first time.

Edie's tip

Leave a little white between colors. Too much dye turns everything brown.

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