Name: Matt

Message: Hi, I have a shirt that looks like this:


[Examples from Chameleon Creations in the UK.]

How would I do an effect like this?

There are two different approaches to getting this sort of effect. 

One is to crumple the shirt randomly, wrap it with rubber bands or string, soak it in soda ash, and dye it with Procion MX dyes by randomly squirting on the color from plastic bottles. (Use these dyes rather than Rit dye because they are easier to use, since they do not require heat, and the results last years longer.) The recipe is on my "How to Dye" page. You can use any good tie-dye kit, but not the Rit tie-dye kit or the Magic Strings tie-dye kit.

The other is to take a black or blue shirt, tie it in the same way, then heat it in Rit Color Remover or soak it in bleach. (See "What chemicals can be used to remove or discharge dye?".) This will not work with some shirts which are dyed with discharge-resistant dyes, but it will work great with others. For black t-shirts that are guaranteed to discharge well, see Dharma Trading Company.

A different but similarly subtle effect can be obtained with Procion MX dyes by using the technique of low water immersion dyeing; see "How to Do Low Water Immersion Dyeing".

For a wide range of color choices, consider mail-ordering your Procion MX dyes from a good dye supplier, such as PRO Chemical & Dye in Massachusetts or Dharma Trading Company in California. See "Sources for Dyeing Supplies Around the World".

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