SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
- White cotton T-shirt
- Rit® All-Purpose Liquid Dye in the color of your choice (Tangerine & Golden Yellow used here to create the color formula for Turmeric)
- 4 gallon plastic tub
- Measuring cup
- Salt
- Liquid dish detergent
- Rubber gloves
- Plastic table cover
- Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative (Recommended)
DIRECTIONS:
- Cover table with plastic and gather supplies.
- Pre-wash T-shirt with fabric detergent, rinse and leave wet.
- Fill a large dye container with 3 gallons of very hot tap water. The water should ideally be 140ºF. If tap water is not hot enough, heat water in a kettle or microwave and add to the dyebath.
- Wearing rubber gloves, add 1/4 cup of well-shaken Tangerine and 1/4 cup Golden Yellow All-Purpose Liquid Dye. To enhance the color, add one cup of salt. Add a squirt of dish detergent to help promote level dyeing. Stir well.
- Test the color by dipping a paper towel into the dye bath. If the color is too light, add more dye; if color is too dark, add more water.
- Immerse the bottom one-third of the T-shirt in the dyebath for 10 minutes, gently moving it back and forth and up and down.
- Lower the middle section of the T-shirt into the dyebath for 5 minutes, gently lifting and lowering it to create lighter and darker shades.
- Dip the top section of the T-shirt in the dyebath just long enough to achieve a very light shade. Or, if desired, the top section can remain white.
- Remove the T-shirt from the dyebath. Squeeze out excess dye.
- Recommended: Use Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative immediately after dyeing and before washing, following instructions on the bottle. It enhances the color, increases color retention and prevents dye from bleeding into the white areas. Dip only dyed portion of T-shirt into fixative.
- Rinse T-shirt in cool water until rinse water begins to run clear.
- Wash in warm water with mild detergent, rinse and dry.