Hand-Dyed School Glue Resist Tee

This week, I wanted to show you an easy and fun surface design technique -- dyeing with a resist!

First off, a definition: a 'resist' is anything that keeps dye off a given part of your fabric. Resists can take many forms -- the rubber bands in tie dye, for example, or even fabric crumpled against itself -- but today I'm using plain ordinary white school glue. It's easy to make fun patterns with it, and it washes out once you're done dyeing the fabric.

So, grab a tee shirt, some dye, and a bottle of white glue!

Protect the back of your shirt by slipping a piece of scrap cardboard between the front and back. Then, start 'drawing' with the glue. It works best with bold, thick-lined designs. Set the shirt in a safe place to dry overnight.

Once your glue is dry, make up the dyebath following the directions on the dye package. Drop the shirt in. Stir for even color -- or, if you're feeling brave, leave a few wrinkles in the shirt and see what happens...

Once you are happy with the color (and keep in mind, it always dries lighter than you think it should) dump out the dyebath and start rinsing.

Follow the directions on the dye package -- and don't rush through this step! All those extra dye molecules can come out either now, in the sink, or later (on dolls and hands and in the laundry...)

During the final stages of the rinse, add a little laundry detergent and give it a hand-wash. All the glue should have washed out by now.

Roll the shirt up in a towel to soak up the excess water, then throw it in the dryer on high for about 30 minutes. This is called "heat setting" and is another way to help ensure the dye molecules stay where you want them. :) 

All done! Congratulations!

For Pixie Faire,

Melinda