Tie Dye Instructions for Spiral Mickey Shirt

[jenseib]

All of these projects are looking . Jenseib, I like the blue shirt with Mickey heads. It looks like the sky and clouds.

Thanks. I really like that one too. I am going to practice some more on my Mickey head ones. I wish I could find a dang bleach pen that isn't gel. Anyone know where that could be found? I even ordered one on Amazon as it was not listed as gel and the picture (which I looked at closely) did not say gel...sure enough, when I got it, it was gel and not even what was pictured.

 

[jenseib]

ok, I'm gonna ask again.....what are you all using for a bleach pen? I can only find gel pens. Even the clorox site show only a gel version. But the gel bleeds badly. Is there a trick I don't know about? I just did my worst Mickey head. Totally distorted...not sure why, but I want to outline it to try and fix it...but still don't know how to or where to buy the proper product.
Can someone take a picture of what their bottle looks like?

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

ok, I'm gonna ask again.....what are you all using for a bleach pen? I can only find gel pens. Even the clorox site show only a gel version. But the gel bleeds badly. Is there a trick I don't know about? I just did my worst Mickey head. Totally distorted...not sure why, but I want to outline it to try and fix it...but still don't know how to or where to buy the proper product.
Can someone take a picture of what their bottle looks like?

I use the clorox gel pen. I outlined these heads with it.

The process I used included tips from Pixie. I started with the shirt laying on top of cardboard, which was laying on top of a plate. The plate should be placed in between the shirt, so you don't get bleach soaking through to the other side. I moved quickly, you can not allow the bleach to sit on the fabric for very long. I would outline about half of the head. Then use the tip of a spoon to remove the bleach, I just put down. Follow the bleach outline with the tip of the spoon. I would remove the bleach from the spoon every so often, with a paper towel. I didn't want a lot of bleach piling up on the spoon. Once I was done with one head, I would let the area dry. Then, I removed the cardboard and plate and moved on to the next head. I hope this makes sense. If not, just ask.

 

[mnosky]

ok, I'm gonna ask again.....what are you all using for a bleach pen? I can only find gel pens. Even the clorox site show only a gel version. But the gel bleeds badly. Is there a trick I don't know about? I just did my worst Mickey head. Totally distorted...not sure why, but I want to outline it to try and fix it...but still don't know how to or where to buy the proper product.
Can someone take a picture of what their bottle looks like?

I've posted before but it was way way up in the thread - I used a white paint pen it made my shirts go from looking like distorted blobs to awesome. I ordered dye from dharma and used nice shirts do the colors were vibrant but on one my thread tore in the water and I had a few other things I learned but anyway then white paint pen was so awesome. I just dotted it so it even looked liked the stitching. I bought it at Michaels. I would never try bleach - too unpredictable!
Michelle

 

[disneymom04]

Can someone suggest a good mickey template?
Thanks,
Jean

 

[jenseib]

I use the clorox gel pen. I outlined these heads with it.

The process I used included tips from Pixie. I started with the shirt laying on top of cardboard, which was laying on top of a plate. The plate should be placed in between the shirt, so you don't get bleach soaking through to the other side. I moved quickly, you can not allow the bleach to sit on the fabric for very long. I would outline about half of the head. Then use the tip of a spoon to remove the bleach, I just put down. Follow the bleach outline with the tip of the spoon. I would remove the bleach from the spoon every so often, with a paper towel. I didn't want a lot of bleach piling up on the spoon. Once I was done with one head, I would let the area dry. Then, I removed the cardboard and plate and moved on to the next head. I hope this makes sense. If not, just ask.

Thanks. I'll give that a try.

I've posted before but it was way way up in the thread - I used a white paint pen it made my shirts go from looking like distorted blobs to awesome. I ordered dye from dharma and used nice shirts do the colors were vibrant but on one my thread tore in the water and I had a few other things I learned but anyway then white paint pen was so awesome. I just dotted it so it even looked liked the stitching. I bought it at Michaels. I would never try bleach - too unpredictable!
Michelle

Thanks for that suggestion. Do you have a picture by chance?

 

[Mrs Grumpy]

I used the clorox bleach pen also. I put some of the bleach on a plastic lid and then I use a paint brush and kind of dot it on. It then runs together to form my lines.

 

[disneymom04]

Ok.... My mind is spinning as I gather my things to try this out tonight. I have found a mickey template in this thread.(P. 161 I believe) It seems a little small, but we'll see.

Now I am trying to figure out how to mix this fiber reactive dye from Dharma. It doesnot give directions, it just refers you to their website. Then the website asks for how many pounds worth of clothes you will be dying???????? Can anyone give me a quick recipe? How much water to how much dye? I also have the soda ash. Do I just add that into the mixture?

And when I stitch the dental floss, smaller and tighter stitches work better, right?

I guess it is obvious that I am stressing a bit. I guess it may have to wait until tomorrow morning.

Any help would be super duper appreciated!!!

Thanks,

Jean

 

[jenseib]

Ok.... My mind is spinning as I gather my things to try this out tonight. I have found a mickey template in this thread.(P. 161 I believe) It seems a little small, but we'll see.

Now I am trying to figure out how to mix this fiber reactive dye from Dharma. It doesnot give directions, it just refers you to their website. Then the website asks for how many pounds worth of clothes you will be dying???????? Can anyone give me a quick recipe? How much water to how much dye? I also have the soda ash. Do I just add that into the mixture?

And when I stitch the dental floss, smaller and tighter stitches work better, right?

I guess it is obvious that I am stressing a bit. I guess it may have to wait until tomorrow morning.

Any help would be super duper appreciated!!!

Thanks,

Jean

With the soda ash, you soak the shirt in for about 40 minutes prior to dyeing, but after you have sewn.

 

[jenseib]

I tried the spoon YUCK!!! It's way to thick and I smeared bleach all over as well. Thanks fully I was doing it on a shirt that had the floss break during the dyeing process and looked awful to begin with.
I guess I'll look for the paint pen. I want a very fine line...not a big blob like the gel still keeps doing...even after taking it right off.

 

[PixieDust32]

Ok.... My mind is spinning as I gather my things to try this out tonight. I have found a mickey template in this thread.(P. 161 I believe) It seems a little small, but we'll see.

Now I am trying to figure out how to mix this fiber reactive dye from Dharma. It doesnot give directions, it just refers you to their website. Then the website asks for how many pounds worth of clothes you will be dying???????? Can anyone give me a quick recipe? How much water to how much dye? I also have the soda ash. Do I just add that into the mixture?

And when I stitch the dental floss, smaller and tighter stitches work better, right?

I guess it is obvious that I am stressing a bit. I guess it may have to wait until tomorrow morning.




Any help would be super duper appreciated!!!

Thanks,

Jean

Mixing the dye, I know it gets confusing at first but is pretty simple...

♥ If the dye canister has no * next to the color... is 1 Teaspoon per 4oz water.

♥ If the canister has ONE * (like the turquoise,strong navy,fire red,chocolate brown, most of the blues) then is double... 2 teaspoons per 4oz water.

♥If the canister has ** (like blacks) then is 4 teaspoons per 4oz water.


♥ Soda ash is 1 cup per gallon of water.

 

[disneymom04]

Thank you so much Pixiedust. That is just the information I was looking for. Seems like that should be printed on the little canister.
Now I will start with a clear head tomorrow morning.
Thanks!!!

 

[Cheryle423]

OMG.. I was going to post these same questions! Thanks DisneyMom04! I am waiting for my order to arrive and my head has been spinning too!! I was wondering about the soda ash soak thing.. Pixiedust, after I sew the mickey head, do I pull it tight and then soak? and then just wring them out and Then twist up the shirt?????

You are so patient with all of us who want our shirts to look as good as yours!!!
Thanks!

 

[PixieDust32]

OMG.. I was going to post these same questions! Thanks DisneyMom04! I am waiting for my order to arrive and my head has been spinning too!! I was wondering about the soda ash soak thing.. Pixiedust, after I sew the mickey head, do I pull it tight and then soak? and then just wring them out and Then twist up the shirt?????

You are so patient with all of us who want our shirts to look as good as yours!!!
Thanks!

Yes! Exactly like that, after you pull the floss or whatever you are using, and then put the rubberbands, then soak them and wring them with your hands, twist them and band them.

 

[mnosky]

Here are mine with the paint pen which helped define the parts of the mickey heads that were missing.
http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/vv268/mnosky/Photo0521FourBySix.jpg?t=1320600203

(can't get the picture to show - hope you can see from the link!)

 

[jenseib]

Here are mine with the paint pen which helped define the parts of the mickey heads that were missing.
http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/vv268/mnosky/Photo0521FourBySix.jpg?t=1320600203

(can't get the picture to show - hope you can see from the link!)

perfect....thanks

 

[csummerlin55]

I tried the spoon YUCK!!! It's way to thick and I smeared bleach all over as well. Thanks fully I was doing it on a shirt that had the floss break during the dyeing process and looked awful to begin with.
I guess I'll look for the paint pen. I want a very fine line...not a big blob like the gel still keeps doing...even after taking it right off.

When we did ours we used liquid bleach in dixie cups and toothpicks and Qtips. The paint pen sounds promising because bleach is very finicky. We did a little bit at a time then let the shirts dry and if we thought they needed a little more definition, we did a little more. Good luck!

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

I'm working on some shirts for an elf run. The dye colors are red and green, of course. My DD wanted a tree on hers. The plan is to dye tomorrow. I'll post pictures of the finished product, when available.

 

[Cheryle423]

Well, I finally got 7 shirts done today.. all wrapped up and waiting to be rinsed out tomorrow! I can't wait to see them.!!! I just have a few questions.. can I save the soda ash water and reuse it? I have another batch of shirts I want to do but didn't have time today. Also, I mixed up too much dye, can I keep that in the plastic bottles and reuse that also?

Thanks! I will try to post pictures of the finished product.. wish me luck!

 

[PixieDust32]

Well, I finally got 7 shirts done today.. all wrapped up and waiting to be rinsed out tomorrow! I can't wait to see them.!!! I just have a few questions.. can I save the soda ash water and reuse it? I have another batch of shirts I want to do but didn't have time today. Also, I mixed up too much dye, can I keep that in the plastic bottles and reuse that also?

Thanks! I will try to post pictures of the finished product.. wish me luck!

Yes, you can save the sodium Carbonated water. Now the dye, it depends, some dye gets dull, like reds, blues, blacks, they'll look really weak.