Tie-Dye Tutorial
Bored in the house and in the house bored? Well, tie dye has always been there for us. Matter of fact, tie-dye is just as popular now as it was in the late 60's and 70's. We are even seeing tie-dye on the runways.
In an interview with Business Insider, Chris Leba stated: “In the Trump Era when right-wing politics is so loud, I think tie-dye can be viewed as a peaceful, but defiant protest against conservatives. In some ways, there are a lot of similarities in terms of the backdrop then and now. In the 60s, we had Nixon in the White House with students protesting against the conservative right. Now we have Trump in the White House with women, immigrants, and the LGBTQ+ community fighting for their rights.”
But tie-dye goes back farther than the Summer of Love and Woodstock. Tie-dye is traced back to Indian Bandhani and Japanese Shibori (when has a fashion trend in the United States ever really been "American" anyway? All good ideas are stolen...)
Bandhani is rooted from the Sanskrit verb bandh, which means “to tie”. This technique is used for religious and ceremonial occasions (weddings, funerals, etc.), and utilizes certain natural dyes to symbolize the nature of the event.
Shibori uses indigo dye to manipulate the fabric, resulting in vibrant color block ways.
Both techniques are at the root of tie-dye, today.
In describing his 2019 collection, designer A Sai Ta said: "It’s a reflection of freedom and hope. The tie-dye process always creates unexpected results and its outcome is always uncertain, which I guess is the mood of the times now. The unknown is more present."
But if you're like me and can't drop $3,000 on a tie-dye Dior gown, let's head to Joann's Fabric (or your local craft store) and DIY this!
You will need:
Gloves (dye will get on your hands)
Drop cloth (dye will get on the floor)
Clothes you don't care about (you know where this is going...dye will get on your clothes)
Dye (for both purposeful and accidental stains)
Buckets and/or squirt bottles (old ketchup or mustard containers will do the trick)
Hot water
Tips:
Follow the instructions on the package of dye you purchased
Test the dye on an old sock or piece of clothing to get a sense of the process and outcome
After the process is completed and you need to wash your creation, use COLD water in the washing machine
The dye color will change/vary when it dries