Tie Dye Party!!!

It’s summertime + what says summer more than a baby in a groovy tie dye t-shirt?!  Super far out, man.

This post will be brief because this past week Langdon had a mean stomach bug AND we both just got over the flu.  All in the same week.  It was rough.  I’m still not 100% but I’ll try + stay upbeat!

In June we had the Baby Paint Party + I wanted to keep the summer craft train rolling so I thought tie dyeing would be a merry way to get the babies in cute summer outfits!

Unfortunately the Pacific Northwest decided to make it gloomy day, so my dreams of outdoor fun + beautiful pictures were squashed.  So sorry that my pictures are a little dim + blurry.  Here are the supplies I gathered:

-Rit Dye

-Table Salt

-Disposable gloves

-Rubber bands

-Plastic tablecloths

-Plastic tubs

-Paint tarps

-Metal utensils (like a long handled spatula) for swishing around your garments in the dye bath

-Foam balls ***GET MARBLES!!!!!***  I’ll tell you why later!!!!

-Large ziplocs

-Plastic grocery store bags

Most of these supplies I bought at the dollar store.

The majority of the websites said use enamel or stainless steel buckets.  I was like I ain’t got the $$$$ for that!  So I just bought 4 plastic buckets at the dollar store.  It was fine + didn’t even stain them in the end.

After noshing on some snacks + catching up – I threw a bunch of bags of rubber bands at the ladies + said GO FOR IT!!!

I told the moms all they had to provide was a white item of their choice.  Don’t forget to wash the item before dyeing.  Chemicals from the manufacturing process may interfere with the dyeing process!

The most fun part of the day was that no one knew what they were doing, but we don’t care because we wing it + fly by the seat of our pants now because we’re all moms.  No time for perfection.  Just git ‘er done before the sh*t hits the fan – literally.

I slightly did research because I was throwing the party after all.  For the t-shirt, I wrapped rubber bands around the foam balls (!!!!again use marbles I’ll tell you why later!!!!).  I looked quickly at Martha Stewart’s Patterns to Dye For because…it’s Martha Stewart + you can’t go wrong with that.

For the pants I did an accordion pleat fold lenghtwise + then rubber band-ed the heck out of it.  For the tank top I did an accordion pleat fold lengthwise + THEN accordion pleated-ed it again width wise into a square + rubber band-ed the bejeezus out of it.  I used this DIY Tie Dye Shibori Dress as a reference but didn’t look at any of the directions except for the pictures of how to pleat + fold + rubber band.  All the other steps were too fancy for me.

Here we go!!!  Threw a whole bunch of very hot water, a cup of salt + 1/2 a RIT dye bottle in each bucket!  There is neither a science to any this nor a perfect formula!  Nay, gloves on comrades!!!

What were the babies doing throughout all of this?  I don’t know – playing?  We were like whatever babies – do whatever it is you do!

There are varying opinions on duration of soaking the garment in the dye for – but at our party it soaks for as long the baby will let it!  It was becoming meltdown hour quicker than a roadrunner on asphalt, so I gave each mom a freezer ziploc + plopped the dyed items in a plastic grocery bag to let them stew.

Okay, this is why you should make the effort to find marbles + not foam balls.  Because foam floats – DUH!!!!!  I had to keep rotating my garment to make sure all sides were drinking up the dye.  And I think the marbles would have made a prettier pattern as you’ll see later.

Oh god that blurry photo.  Ugh.  Shudder.  Sorry.

After everyone left I was so bummed because I made special stripey blackberry + coconut milk popsicles for the party!  I gave one to Langdon the next day + I’m really glad I didn’t serve them at the party!  Messy!

Arrrrgh!!!!  Cannibal Baby!

Well the party results were a success!!!   Let your piece soak for as long as possible, mine soaked for almost 2 days because Langdon got sick + I forgot!  Rinse it in cold water under the sink + then wash by itself with warm water in the machine!  Here’s a pretty lace top!  We weren’t positive it would take because it was a cotton nylon blend but it came out beautiful!  Love it on the lace!!!

This was done on a creamy organic piece!

Perfect summer onesie!

A t-shirt + socks!!!!  I gotta do socks next!

Here’s Langdon’s pieces!

I love how they all turned out, but I think the t-shirt would have been nicer if I used marbles…

Here’s Langdon modeling his t-shirt at Southlands Heritage Farm.

Obsessed with horses now.  “NEIGH!!!!” screams Langdon.

Hope you enjoyed this post!  Have a tie dye party of your own before the summer’s over!!!!

NOTE:  Lay down lots of painting tarps beneath your dyeing area.  Dye is a bugger to get out of surfaces.  A couple of stray drops landed on my floor + I was like CRAP!!!!  But I dropped a little bleach diluted with water on the spots, let it sit for a minute or so, wiped + they were gone!  Mind you, don’t take my word for it + come back to me if your floor is ruined – I have laminate wood floors!  Always spot test!  XOXOXO