Tie Dye Instructions for Spiral Mickey Shirt

[TarzansKat]

Hey TK, have you ever used the Dharma Detergent, not the Synthrapol, their own formula, I think is the same thing is just their own formula. Just wondering, i used Synthrapol and works perfect.

You know I haven't tried any of the special detergents yet, and I'm seriously considering it. I'm wondering if they'll help the colors hold better and I will end up with less white.

I guess the best way for me to explain it is that when I unband the shirts to rinse them, the shirt is compeltely covered in color. And when I put it in my washing machine for that initial wash cycle (I'm even using gentle and the shortest cycle as well), that's when I'm losing a lot of the color. Not that my shirts look bad, just that I'd love to have the option of having little to no white to be more versatile.

Now where do you buy Synthrapol?

 

[PixieDust32]

You know I haven't tried any of the special detergents yet, and I'm seriously considering it. I'm wondering if they'll help the colors hold better and I will end up with less white.

I guess the best way for me to explain it is that when I unband the shirts to rinse them, the shirt is compeltely covered in color. And when I put it in my washing machine for that initial wash cycle (I'm even using gentle and the shortest cycle as well), that's when I'm losing a lot of the color. Not that my shirts look bad, just that I'd love to have the option of having little to no white to be more versatile.

Now where do you buy Synthrapol?

I thought you already used Synthrapol? I remember reading you somewhere, maybe not, this threads are huge so I might read someone else.

I got it from Dharma. but they also have their own formula that's why I was wondering if you had used that one yet.

 

[TarzansKat]

I thought you already used Synthrapol? I remember reading you somewhere, maybe not, this threads are huge so I might read someone else.

I got it from Dharma. but they also have their own formula that's why I was wondering if you had used that one yet.

No, I've never tried it yet, but I'd love to. I'll have to take the plunge the next time I place an order with Dharma.

 

[PixieDust32]

Oh, my bad. Maybe was Tinker. You should, it works great Got to go, I have some shirts washing, talk to ya'll later.

 

[Cheryle423]

I just came across this thread.. can't believe I didn't find it sooner.. but my problem is we are leaving next week.. I really really want to make these shirts! We don't have a craft store, live in the boonies.. but could I just use RIT dye? I am thinking Black mickey head and golden yellow/black/ white for the shirt.. Pitt. Steeler colors!! As we will be there on a game day.. I was thinking black for the head., then there is a golden yellow color.. use that with a scarlet red (like the diamond color shapes on the steeler logo)..then some more black. Do you think this will work? How would I mix up the RIT dye? How much water.. ?? Hopefully someone can help me!!!

 

[PixieDust32]

The color pattern sounds great, but RIT is not a Fiber reactive dye, so I don't know how it would turn out. I'd never use RIT.

Also my experience using black, it travels a lot to the rest of the shirt, so you have to make sure that it doesn't spread all over the rest of your shirt.

I made Steelers color shirts and it was tricky to the black with the yellow.

 

[Cheryle423]

Those look great!! I don't think I would mind if the black spread a bit if I had more of the golden yellow.. so maybe use just a little black? Can you buy that fiber reactive dye in places like wal-mart? We do have a Wal-mart...who doesn't right? Hoping someone has used RIT and can help me with the mixture....

 

[PixieDust32]

Well, wal mart does have the TULIP kits, but you might need to get a couple of kits to get the colors you want.

I read somewhere here about the RIT if you want to check a couple pages back.

 

[PixieDust32]

Alright, here some halloween shirts, it was hard to control the black but I used the urea and the other stuff from dharma along with the detergent and it help me a lot.
I wanted to take pics outdoors but the weather was just not on my side today.



"Happy Halloweeeenn" Booo to you....

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Oh bummer mrs. charming. It sounds like you did everything correct. I had used jaquard before and loved the results.

OK, lets see.... I think is one gallon of water per pack of the soda ash in the kit.
You soak them for whatever time the directions tells you. At least 30 min.
You don't rinse them at this time, wring them really good then to the dye. they should sit for about 24 hours, then rinse them, wash them and dry.

I use urea and it does work really good, also de dharma detergent.

Maybe you did too many, try making just a couple, in my case or they way i do it is time consuming, since it was the first time for you maybe if you make just a couple you get better results.

Good luck.

I think I may have done too many, I did get a little over my head. One shirt I did, somehow one shoulder is completely white. I must have tied it WAY too tight.

I think next time (Yep, I'm a sucker) I'm going to use Dharma dyes, detergent, urea, etc. I don't think this Jacquard worked well for me. I swear some of it just washed out completely after the 2nd wash.

Do you wash your shirts before you soak them in soda ash?

I'm still kinda baffled as to why they bled so badly, and exactly what I did wrong... but eh, it's all about learning.

Thank you for your help!!

 

[PixieDust32]

Who knows, the shirts I made with Jacquard turned out great and I washed them I think Twice.
I do not wash the shirts before, I do rinse them but not wash with detergent, no.

These are the shirts I made with that kit, I don't know what happened to you
But my advice is not to make so many at the same time, it takes me a couple of hours to dye about 4 or 5 shirts, i don't know how you did some many I would have gone bananas.

 

[GoofyWalker]

I think I may have done too many, I did get a little over my head. One shirt I did, somehow one shoulder is completely white. I must have tied it WAY too tight.

I think next time (Yep, I'm a sucker) I'm going to use Dharma dyes, detergent, urea, etc. I don't think this Jacquard worked well for me. I swear some of it just washed out completely after the 2nd wash.

Do you wash your shirts before you soak them in soda ash?

I'm still kinda baffled as to why they bled so badly, and exactly what I did wrong... but eh, it's all about learning.

Thank you for your help!!

TRYING to catch up on the PAGES pictures you guys have put up in a few days!!! I love them all. You guys have done some really great shirts!

Just a few things...

There are only one or two producers of dyes. Jacquard is one of them. Dharma's dyes are not theirs, they buy bulk, from Jacquard, and they mix their own colors. So, if you are talking about Dharma dyes vs. Jacquard dyes, they are the same product. Certain colors from each source may work better depending on their formula for mixing the color.

Mrs. Charming, where do you live?? City or outside city limits. Or rather, I should say, where do you get your water, municipal source or well water?? Sounds to me like you have hard water, and it is causing all your colors to run. You may need to buy a water softener to add to your wash water. I did one test strip at home with well water, and all my colors were dull and they ran. Never again, I do my shirts at a friend's house where they have municipal water with water softeners added. The minerals in water fight for the binding sites that the dyes adhere to.

The other thing I though of Mrs. Charming, is did you pre-wash your shirts to remove sizing. Do not use any fabric softener when you wash. Also, do not use the shirts that are stain resistant, as the fabric has a coating that will not wash out in a pre-wash and the dyes will not bind to.

To the poster who was looking for Synthrapol, my AC Moore actually carries the small bottles of synthrapol, so if I am running out and don't have time to order from Dharma, I can buy it there.

Also, to the poster who asked about RIT dye for tie dying...DON'T!! Rit dyes are meant for vat dying something one solid color, not tie dye. There are too many sad stories about people using RIT dye and having the colors run and wash out.

Trying to get my act together to do some Halloween shirts for MNNSHP, better start stitching those Mickey Heads!!

 

[littlezar]

Great shirts but I have to say this is totally awesome for a Halloween shirt! Reminds me of a spider on the back of the shirt - creepy (but in a good way, LOL!)

 

[quiltymom]

Ok... I need some major help here. I dyed about 10 shirts (hey, I had a a 5-pack for me, 5pack for DD) and the mickey heads turned out distinct, but my colors keep fading badly, and the (excessive) white in the shirts is now even more of a muddle pinky purple. I don't think they're "in public" wearable anymore, I'm really bummed.

I'm so sorry that this happened! Did you pre-wash the shirts to remove the sizing? Just a thought...

 

[Mrs. Charming]

TRYING to catch up on the PAGES pictures you guys have put up in a few days!!! I love them all. You guys have done some really great shirts!

Just a few things...

There are only one or two producers of dyes. Jacquard is one of them. Dharma's dyes are not theirs, they buy bulk, from Jacquard, and they mix their own colors. So, if you are talking about Dharma dyes vs. Jacquard dyes, they are the same product. Certain colors from each source may work better depending on their formula for mixing the color.

Mrs. Charming, where do you live?? City or outside city limits. Or rather, I should say, where do you get your water, municipal source or well water?? Sounds to me like you have hard water, and it is causing all your colors to run. You may need to buy a water softener to add to your wash water. I did one test strip at home with well water, and all my colors were dull and they ran. Never again, I do my shirts at a friend's house where they have municipal water with water softeners added. The minerals in water fight for the binding sites that the dyes adhere to.

The other thing I though of Mrs. Charming, is did you pre-wash your shirts to remove sizing. Do not use any fabric softener when you wash. Also, do not use the shirts that are stain resistant, as the fabric has a coating that will not wash out in a pre-wash and the dyes will not bind to.

To the poster who was looking for Synthrapol, my AC Moore actually carries the small bottles of synthrapol, so if I am running out and don't have time to order from Dharma, I can buy it there.

Also, to the poster who asked about RIT dye for tie dying...DON'T!! Rit dyes are meant for vat dying something one solid color, not tie dye. There are too many sad stories about people using RIT dye and having the colors run and wash out.

Trying to get my act together to do some Halloween shirts for MNNSHP, better start stitching those Mickey Heads!!

Ok... so I did a little research, and it looks like we have very soft water (approx. 78ppm of Ca/Mg) so I wonder if that's part of them problem. It's from a municipal source, so the information was pretty easy to find.

I didn't however wash them before dyeing... that's probably part of the problem. I can't believe how much the colors faded and some even disappeared after washing twice. I'll try using the Synthrapol.

I'm determined to make this work!

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I'm so sorry that this happened! Did you pre-wash the shirts to remove the sizing? Just a thought...

I didn't. I should have. Ididn't want to take any more time, DH was getting cranky, and my mom who was helping me, was also getting impatient. Note to self: Feed DH before I start a project.

 

[PixieDust32]

OH gosh! DH goes insane if hungy!

 

[PixieDust32]

I don't pre wash them either. How many kits did you used for those 20 shirts?

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I don't pre wash them either. How many kits did you used for those 20 shirts?

It was about 13 or so shirts, they were 5-packs, and three of the ones you can buy at JoAnn, I think they were jerzeez (?) but I made sure they were 100% cotton.

I used one kit and 4 other color-packs (sold separately) in pink, purple, turquoise, and navy. Maybe that's why they didn't work? Could they be Jacquard's version of RIT?

 

[PixieDust32]

I think so, no wonder. If it was the RIT kind of dye. Because Jacquard as far as I know only has the primary colors kit. I'd seen those small packets of dye but there not for tye dye.

Hope it shows the pic...


This is the good kit from Jacquard, it makes about 4-5 shirts.