Tie Dye Instructions for Spiral Mickey Shirt

[MarcyIn Florida]

I do have a question about the tie dye- and I know this has probably already been asked- for those who have bleached a dark t-shirt with designs (I'm thinking the peace, love and mickey I saw) then dyed it- how long do you leave the bleach on and do you just use the bleach pen?

My MIL loves tie dye and I'm thinking about doing large bleached mickey head on a black shirt, then tie dying just the head.

I just did a bleached MH on a DIS green shirt. I used a bleach pen and left the dye on for about 15 minutes.

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

I live in Arkansas- so my choices are Michaels and Hobby Lobby. I have not looked at Hobby Lobby yet though.. I will today if I have time before taking DS to his Dads (3 1/2 hours away!)- Do you think Walmart would have sodium carbonate in the pool chemical aisle? I never thought about buying the actual chemical- I usually just look for soda ash!

Walmart and Target should both have it -- they usually carry the brand pH Up. But your best bet is a pool supply store -- the stuff is really cheap there. Just don't buy sodium bicarbonate by mistake.

 

[GoofyWalker]

Do you think Walmart would have sodium carbonate in the pool chemical aisle? I never thought about buying the actual chemical- I usually just look for soda ash!

It's worth a shot. You can probably get it in a 20 pound bucket!!! That should last you a while.

I also read somewhere (sorry, I click links, then just skim, but it could have been here somewhere, too) that you can find it labelled as washing soda in the laundry detergent aisle. (Something about, it's the same, but has something else in it, so you need to use more. Sorry I'm not much help on details )

GoofyWalker

 

[mouser_momof2]

I live in Arkansas- so my choices are Michaels and Hobby Lobby. I have not looked at Hobby Lobby yet though.. I will today if I have time before taking DS to his Dads (3 1/2 hours away!)- Do you think Walmart would have sodium carbonate in the pool chemical aisle? I never thought about buying the actual chemical- I usually just look for soda ash!

Where in Ark.? We used to live up in Rogers. My dh worked for a Wal-mart vendor after college, before he joined the Navy.

I got my soda ash at JoAnn's and used a 50% coupon from Michaels.

Just FYI for those who don't know- AC Moore and JoAnn's will accept each others coupons. (Can't remember if Michaels does or not). And depending on who is working, they may or may not make you do different transactions for each coupon.

Also, I signed up for Michaels's coupons and got a 50% off coupon the other day.

Also found 50% off AC Moore coupon on their website as well.

I think also that I read somewhere a few dozen pages back (yes- I read this thread front to back ) that there is some type of product in the laundry soap section that is the same a soda ash, so that may be cheaper.

 

[jenn-]

This website seemed to have a good bit of information on soda ash. Looks like it is an Arm & Hammer brand that is found in the laundry area.

 

[Tinker_]

Where in Ark.? We used to live up in Rogers. My dh worked for a Wal-mart vendor after college, before he joined the Navy.

I got my soda ash at JoAnn's and used a 50% coupon from Michaels.

Just FYI for those who don't know- AC Moore and JoAnn's will accept each others coupons. (Can't remember if Michaels does or not). And depending on who is working, they may or may not make you do different transactions for each coupon.

Also, I signed up for Michaels's coupons and got a 50% off coupon the other day.

Also found 50% off AC Moore coupon on their website as well.

I think also that I read somewhere a few dozen pages back (yes- I read this thread front to back ) that there is some type of product in the laundry soap section that is the same a soda ash, so that may be cheaper.

Thanks, I will check it out!

What a SMALL WORLD! We are in Van Buren, which is about 30 min from Rogers, in fact, I go up to Rogers to shop bc they have that really nice outside mall, Pinnacle Hills. My DBF is a store manager for Walmart

It's worth a shot. You can probably get it in a 20 pound bucket!!! That should last you a while.

I also read somewhere (sorry, I click links, then just skim, but it could have been here somewhere, too) that you can find it labelled as washing soda in the laundry detergent aisle. (Something about, it's the same, but has something else in it, so you need to use more. Sorry I'm not much help on details )

GoofyWalker

hahaha, Well thats what I need, a huge bucket! I prob do 20 shirts a week!

This website seemed to have a good bit of information on soda ash. Looks like it is an Arm & Hammer brand that is found in the laundry area.

Thanks for the link- checking it out now! I btoke down and went to Michales today and bought some more, but I know it is not the best price!

I love, love that minnie tank! So cute!

Thanks Marcy! I am pretty happy with it to, I am hoping to make a matching tutu for it this weekend if I can finish up my other shirts!

 

[Tinker_]

" A better source is a swimming pool supplies store, or a hardware store that carries some pool supplies, which will carry pure sodium carbonate (a popular brand is pH Up), sold for the purpose of increasing the pH of pool water. This is typically cheaper than mail-ordering from a dye supplier, and just as good. Beware of suppliers that try to sell you sodium bicarbonate instead of sodium carbonate; bicarbonate is much less basic (it has a lower pH), and will not work for most dyeing recipes."

Hmmm, I am hoping WM has some, I am having DBF check it out!

 

[dizneechic]

" A better source is a swimming pool supplies store, or a hardware store that carries some pool supplies, which will carry pure sodium carbonate (a popular brand is pH Up), sold for the purpose of increasing the pH of pool water. This is typically cheaper than mail-ordering from a dye supplier, and just as good. Beware of suppliers that try to sell you sodium bicarbonate instead of sodium carbonate; bicarbonate is much less basic (it has a lower pH), and will not work for most dyeing recipes."

Hmmm, I am hoping WM has some, I am having DBF check it out!

The bottle of PH Plus I bought for our pool last week at Wally is good ol' Sodium Carbonate so it looks like you will be all set. Too bad I had no idea and ended up ordering mine online through Dharma. Now I know if I need more I can just hit up the pool chemicals.

 

[Tinker_]

hahaha, it's OK- Dharmas will come in a cooler looking container- lol! I would have never known to use a pool chemical either- so thank you wonderful wonderful Disers! You are going to save me lots of $$!

 

[jenn-]

Does anyone know if I can soak in the soda ash and then let the shirts dry completely before dying them? Would it make a difference between air drying or in the dryer? Oh and how small do you make the stitching around the head?

 

[kat3668]

Kat this is probably my fave shirt on this thread, I love it! I copied your image you used to do it awhile back, I just cant find resist anywhere! Too cute! Here are a few more of my designs that I finished today...

Thank You! How nice of you to say that!

 

[Tinker_]

Does anyone know if I can soak in the soda ash and then let the shirts dry completely before dying them? Would it make a difference between air drying or in the dryer? Oh and how small do you make the stitching around the head?

I know you can let them air dry after soaking them in the soda ash, but am not sure about using the dryer to do it!

I found Sodium Carbonate at Walmart today!! 2lbs for $7- waaaaay cheaper than Michaels and Hobby Lobby! It was with the spa chemicals!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Does anyone know if I can soak in the soda ash and then let the shirts dry completely before dying them? Would it make a difference between air drying or in the dryer? Oh and how small do you make the stitching around the head?

You can, but I wouldn't for tie dyeing. The dye will take better to a shirt that is still damp with a soda ash solution, and drying the shirt before dyeing it can lead to soda ash dust, and you don't want to inhale it.

The only time I've dried a shirt before dyeing is when I've done drip dyes or other precision dyeing techniques.
____________________________

I promised to post my test run bleach pen job -- here it is:

You can see how the bleach created a two toned (blue and white) effect where the bleach pen spread a bit on the shirt. I kind of like the effect, even if I didn't intend it!

These are the matching shirts for the 4 of us for next week's cruise.

 

[lucigo]

You ____________________________

I promised to post my test run bleach pen job -- here it is:

You can see how the bleach created a two toned (blue and white)
These are the matching shirts for the 4 of us for next week's cruise.

I like this! Thanks for sharing, I may try something like that for our next trip! Have a great time on your cruise!

 

[daemom]

You can, but I wouldn't for tie dyeing. The dye will take better to a shirt that is still damp with a soda ash solution, and drying the shirt before dyeing it can lead to soda ash dust, and you don't want to inhale it.

The only time I've dried a shirt before dyeing is when I've done drip dyes or other precision dyeing techniques.
____________________________

I promised to post my test run bleach pen job -- here it is:

You can see how the bleach created a two toned (blue and white) effect where the bleach pen spread a bit on the shirt. I kind of like the effect, even if I didn't intend it!

These are the matching shirts for the 4 of us for next week's cruise.

CUTE!!! Did you do this freehand or did you mark your design first? I really like the two colors the bleach made!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

CUTE!!! Did you do this freehand or did you mark your design first? I really like the two colors the bleach made!

Thanks! I did it freehand with a picture of a mickey head in front of me.

 

[dawnandnala]

Thanks so much for all the great instructions, tips, and photos from everyone on this thread! I have made six tye died shirts so far and will be making at least three more - I will post pics later but they have turned out great so far!

 

[texasheathers]

Wow these are beautiful! I LOVE Tie Dyed shirts - so I will have to try this - but I admit - I am SO not crafty so I'm scared - but I would really love one of these - all except I will have to make 5 - possilby 7!!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Wow these are beautiful! I LOVE Tie Dyed shirts - so I will have to try this - but I admit - I am SO not crafty so I'm scared - but I would really love one of these - all except I will have to make 5 - possilby 7!!

It doesn't take much longer to make 5 than it does to make 1 -- particularly the dyeing part. Once you have the dyes mixed and the supplies out, it's actually a lot easier to make a big batch! My kids routinely make a "dye"pile for me so that I can tie dye shirts that they think are too dingy, stained, or boring when I do a big batch.

The nice thing about tie dye is that you really can't mess up a tie dye. It may not come out the way you wanted it to, but they're almost always interesting in their own way.

 

[jenn-]

Owie! Owie! Owie! I ripped off the top layer of skin by my cutile while wrapping rubber bands around 7 Mickey heads. These are the tightest I have wrapped them so far, so I just dare those heads to bleed. They are in the soda ash right now, so I am still a ways from a reveal.