Arts and Crafts **Tie Dye Mickey ears shirts directions**NEW NEW PICS LAST PAGE**

[LockShockBarrel]

To PP, wetting the shirts first will give you a crisper design when you actually start tying.

To Pixie, have you ever used the color remover from dharma? I got a little...color happy...with something and I'm not too keen on how it turned out.

 

[LissaW16]

I ended up outlining my Mickey heads with the bleach pen, as they weren't defined at all. But I think they came out pretty good!

 

[ama223]

..

 

[Tigpooh]

Well, I am sad....

I traced, basted w/ thread,pulled tight and rubber banded, soaked my shirt in plain water a few minutes and then wrung out till damp, twisted for swirl design and rubber banded around. Put plastic between Mickey and the bottom of shirt and colored(Tulip kit), then pulled plastic up and wrapped head while I dye the rest. I had about an inch of bands between Mickey and the rest. I went around the bands and colored 8 triangles alternating between pink/purple, Sat for 12 hours(instead of 24) because I was worried about it being darker than I wanted(I only did pink and purple, with Mickey being purple), and rinsed in cool water, pulled bands off and Mickey looked so smudged....no definition hardly at all-just a purple blob. I did 2 shirts this way and both came out the same. I just threw them in the wash w/ salt and soap, but I need to do 3 more guys shirts and I am so confused as to what I did wrong. Why didn't they turn out defined at all?? I am nervous about attempting the bleach pen...

I also noticed my fabric was 50/50 instead of 100% like I thought. I bought the Jerzee brand from JoAnns by the dye, so i thought it would be perfect. Could that cause me any problems?

Any tips would be much appreciated so I can get my next batch right!

(once shirts are dry I will try to post pics)

 

[Tigpooh]

They look a tiny bit better in the pic, I just wish there had been some white between the ears and the rest of the purple...it's too hard to tell.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53643407@N04/5901085191/

 

[Cadyrose]

Well, I am sad....

I traced, basted w/ thread,pulled tight and rubber banded, soaked my shirt in plain water a few minutes and then wrung out till damp, twisted for swirl design and rubber banded around. Put plastic between Mickey and the bottom of shirt and colored(Tulip kit), then pulled plastic up and wrapped head while I dye the rest. I had about an inch of bands between Mickey and the rest. I went around the bands and colored 8 triangles alternating between pink/purple, Sat for 12 hours(instead of 24) because I was worried about it being darker than I wanted(I only did pink and purple, with Mickey being purple), and rinsed in cool water, pulled bands off and Mickey looked so smudged....no definition hardly at all-just a purple blob. I did 2 shirts this way and both came out the same. I just threw them in the wash w/ salt and soap, but I need to do 3 more guys shirts and I am so confused as to what I did wrong. Why didn't they turn out defined at all?? I am nervous about attempting the bleach pen...

I also noticed my fabric was 50/50 instead of 100% like I thought. I bought the Jerzee brand from JoAnns by the dye, so i thought it would be perfect. Could that cause me any problems?

Any tips would be much appreciated so I can get my next batch right!

(once shirts are dry I will try to post pics)

What type of thread did you use? Not sure but I used waxed non mint dental floss...I wonder if a regular thread will let dye leak through?

I also noticed that you said you soaked for a few minutes in plain water....I don't know if it affects the Mickey but from what I read on here, you are better off for atleast 20-30 minutes in soda ash water...I got it at AC Moore but I think any craft store like JoAnne's or Michael"s would have it.....you can also get PH up where you by pool supplies....this seems to be an important step if you want really bright colors along with keeping the shirt banded for 24 hours after...

What I noticed with mine was that the heads came out better with certain colors...my Mickey Heads in red and black came out really well defined but the blue dye seeped through and I had to outline those better.

oh and you definitely want 100% cotton...the 50/50 will dull the colors and will fade faster over time...I tried first on 100% cotton undershirts cause I could do 3 shirts for under $5 and when I go to do my final shirts I will go for the heavy 100% cotton shirts. We did tye dye with our preschoolers and you definitely noticed a difference between the 100% cotton and the 50/50 blends.

Hope this helps...maybe Pixie or one of the other mommas who are really great at this will have more advice!

 

[PixieDust32]

Sorry TigPooh!

You need 100% cotton. Sounds like you did everything correctly, if you used tulip the soda ash (PH up) is already in the dye, so it doesn't matter if you soak them or not.

I dye mine wet all the time because I like the pattern results in wet.

 

[PixieDust32]

Happy 4th of July ---Tie dye Mickey style---

 

[PixieDust32]

I ended up outlining my Mickey heads with the bleach pen, as they weren't defined at all. But I think they came out pretty good!

Great job!!! Thanks for sharing your pics

 

[ama223]

..

 

[LissaW16]

They look a tiny bit better in the pic, I just wish there had been some white between the ears and the rest of the purple...it's too hard to tell.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53643407@N04/5901085191/

that's very similar to how mine turned out at first... I took a Clorox Bleach Pen and outlined where my thread was (I could tell where it had been even after a rinse) - and I got the definition I was looking for - my pics are posted above.

They're not the awesome red-white-blue that Pixie just posted, but I got 8 people to wear them on embarkation day!

 

[Tigpooh]

that's very similar to how mine turned out at first... I took a Clorox Bleach Pen and outlined where my thread was (I could tell where it had been even after a rinse) - and I got the definition I was looking for - my pics are posted above.

They're not the awesome red-white-blue that Pixie just posted, but I got 8 people to wear them on embarkation day!

Well, I did my other 4 today and only one turned out somewhat decent. I am wondering if maybe because the material is so thin at 50/50 that maybe it just soaks the dye up easier and faster. IDK, but I will be doing a bleach pen to(and dreading it!)

 

[Tigpooh]

Hello! I was getting ready to "practice" with my bleach pen, and I did, but as I have never used one before I was wondering what the best way to apply it is. Do you just go around the head and outline with the fine tip or the wider, scrubby tip? To you squeeze at all? Do you

a. rinse by hand immediately after applying
b. let dry completely and then wash
c. throw in wash immediately

Should there be any on top of shirt after applying or should it soak it all up?

Sorry so many questions, but I have one shot to make these just right!

 

[LissaW16]

Hello! I was getting ready to "practice" with my bleach pen, and I did, but as I have never used one before I was wondering what the best way to apply it is. Do you just go around the head and outline with the fine tip or the wider, scrubby tip? To you squeeze at all? Do you

a. rinse by hand immediately after applying
b. let dry completely and then wash
c. throw in wash immediately

Should there be any on top of shirt after applying or should it soak it all up?

Sorry so many questions, but I have one shot to make these just right!

Fine tip, very little squeezing (just enough so I saw a fine damp line - not a gel goo line), threw in wash immediately (all 8 shirts together) - ok, so the first shirt I outlined sat a bit as I did the other 7, but you get my point. I placed a magazine with a paper towel on it between the front and back of the shirt, to avoid bleach transfer to the back of the shirt.

 

[Tigpooh]

Fine tip, very little squeezing (just enough so I saw a fine damp line - not a gel goo line), threw in wash immediately (all 8 shirts together) - ok, so the first shirt I outlined sat a bit as I did the other 7, but you get my point. I placed a magazine with a paper towel on it between the front and back of the shirt, to avoid bleach transfer to the back of the shirt.

Thank you! I love how they look now, though I actually did one earlier and let it sit all day before washing... I am doing 2 purple/pink and 4 red/yellow/blue(and green LOL) so I washed separate. Will post a pic of final product!

OT :Can you tell me why my pics won't show when I enter the link in the "insert picture" URL box? Thanks!

 

[jacksmomma]

I had to use a bleach pen with my last batch of shirts as well. I put a brown paper bag in between the layers of my damp shirt. Then I used the bleach pen to make a dot and then pulled the tail of the dot up and to the side a bit. Then I just wached to see when the color bleached as much as I wanted it to. For me, the pink bleached musch faster than the blue and green. When it was at a level I wanted I just hand washed the bleach off in the sink and laundered them as normal. The swriling makes the head look more like the tie dye and not so defined. (If that makes sense! )

 

[Tigpooh]

Hopefully my final pics show up. Thank you all for the help and especially Pixie for sharing your wonderful tips!

 

[livsmom04]

I just did this. We are heading to Disney World in less than 2 weeks and this would be awesome to have for our small little family!!!

 

[PixieDust32]

Hi, sorry for not posting lately we're getting ready to go to the beach and been really busy!

So, here a pic of these Halloween T's I made last year for these girls

 

[Debbersk]

Hi, sorry for not posting lately we're getting ready to go to the beach and been really busy!

So, here a pic of these Halloween T's I made last year for these girls

those look awesome