
This will create a burnt-orange color that can then be dyed with different colors. This process is usually called reverse tie-dying. So, can you tie-dye a black shirt? Yes, you can tie-dye a black shirt using bleach to lighten the fabric in your desired pattern. However, that doesn’t mean it is impossible to tie-dye a black shirt. Tie-dying a white t-shirt is all the hype these days, but have you ever tried tie-dying a black T-shirt? Black shirts have such a dark color that cloth dye can’t really grab onto them as much as other colors.

the one in the photo MUST NOT be an accurate reflection of the end result.*This post may contain affiliate links. the shirt is about 9 different shades of red, but not white at all, so do not expect this creation to actually look like the photo. I think this concept could potentially be great if the creator actually put CLEAR DIRECTIONS!!!!īy the way, I used a black shirt that was 100% cotton, the first time, I was waiting for the rusty color change on the whole shirt like the photo, and ended up leaving the shirt in the bleach mix for about 3 minutes, after washing it, there is nothing white on the shirt.

Don’t be cheap like me and think you can make this. Spend the money and go buy a shirt that looks like this one. The end result is a tie-dye looking shirt, so basically you have messed up multiple times if you try it more than once like I did…. The barely-there directions do not actually tell you how many times to accordion the shirt, which way to fold the sleeves. The photo is extremely deceptive, do not expect your shirt to change color instantly because it DOES NOT WORK!!! The directions are very unclear and do not give much details, so you basically end up with a shirt with ONLY horizontal lines. I can’t imagine how, but it’s the only thing I can think of. I can’t be certain, but I think my unexpected result might have something to do with the fact that the button thread I used was left over from when my great grandfather closed up his tailor shop in the 1940s. It looks like something you see under a microscope! Should be a lot of fun in microbiology class this fall. I have no idea what it will look like when I machine wash it, but I can’t understand this at all. I started clipping the threads I had tied it with and my eyeballs almost came out of my head! The places where it had been tied had turned bright fuschia!! I continued clipping and unwrapping threads and more and more fuschia irregularly shaped circles emerged on a field of the same deep purple. After a few minutes I took it out, grouchy that nothing seemed to be happening to the purple, but knowing I better not leave it in any longer. I filled the sink with the right ratio of bleach to water and popped it in. I tied it up to make dark circles, pinching up bits here are there and binding them tightly with stout button thread. It was deep purple and I thought pale lavender with a deep purple pattern would be cool. I’m baffled! I’m stunned! I’m flummoxed! I tried this technique with a $2.99 T-shirt from Walgreen’s, a Foot Locker irregular. (top image from here, rest of images by HonestlyWTF) Your reverse bleach tie dye shirt is ready to wear! Once its dry, wash the shirt in a washing machine. The rusty brown color will slowly fade into a beautiful lighter shade as it begins to set. Give it a quick rinse, unbind it, and then hang it. As soon as the black transforms into a rusty brown color, immediately remove it from the bleach. Watch it very carefully because depending on the thread count of the clothing, the color can turn very quickly and the bleach may start to erode the fabric. Submerge the shirt into the bleach for only a couple of seconds. Click here for more binding alternatives.īefore you start bleaching, make sure you are wearing gloves and working outdoors or in a well ventilated area. Dilute approximately 4 cups of bleach with 1 cup of water. Anything used to bind the clothing will prevent the bleach from penetrating, and the rest of the exposed fabric will bleach and turn color.
#How to tie dye with bleach series#
Hold the shirt in place by wrapping a series of rubber bands around the bind. To make a grid-like pattern, fold the shirt like an accordion and bind it between two pieces of wood or other flat shaped objects.
#How to tie dye with bleach free#
– a 100% cotton black shirt (we used this Free People tee) And as the weather is beginning to warm up, what better time than now to start experimenting with reverse tie dye using bleach! Black tees and tops: watch out! we just about dyed anything white in sight. So when Free People asked us to include a DIY in their guest blogger series, we knew a new tie dye project was absolutely in order. Last summer, we were obsessed with shibori indigo tie dying.
