SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
DIRECTIONS:
- White Apron (cotton, linen, silk, wool, ramie, and blends less than 35% synthetic material)
- Rit All-Purpose Liquid Dye in Petal Pink, Kelly Green and Tan
- Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative
- Rit Tie-Dye Accessory Kit
- Measuring Cup & Spoon
- Baking Rack & Tray
- Paper Towels
- Dish Detergent
- Salt
- Plastic Table Cover
DIRECTIONS:
- Prewash apron in warm, soapy water. This helps to remove any finishes that may interfere with dye absorption.
- Lay apron out on a flat surface.
- Scrunch a section the apron and secure with rubber bands. The more tightly you secure the scrunch, the more white space you will see in the final result. Repeat scrunching various sections of the fabric. With each section, vary the amount of fabric scrunched. Continue until the majority of the fabric is scrunched. Now shape the apron into a ball with more rubber bands.
- Wearing rubber gloves, mix 2 tablespoons of well-shaken liquid dye with two cups of hot tap water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Pour into a squirt bottle. Shake well.
- Repeat the same process laid out in step 4 for desired colors.
- Place bound apron on a baking rack with a tray under it. This keeps the dye from puddling under the apron.
- Squeeze dye onto apron in random sections starting with the lightest color. Flip over and repeat.
- To set the dye, do the following while the apron is still tied up:
- Apply Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative with a squeeze bottle, which will enhance the colors and reduce bleeding. Mix 2 tablespoons of well-shaken ColorStay Dye Fixative with water and apply liberally to both sides of the fabric.
- We strongly recommend using your microwave, as long as the fabric does not have any metal parts on it. After applying ColorStay Dye Fixative, wrap the fabric in plastic wrap and seal the edges or place it into our microwave tray. Place the wrapped fabric on a paper towel in the microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Plastic will puff up, creating a heat chamber that helps bond the dye with the fabric. Once the microwave is done, remove the fabric and open the plastic, letting it cool down.
- If a microwave is not available or feasible to use and it is a hot sunny day, lay the wrapped fabric out in the sun for an hour.
- Rinse in cold water until rinse water begins to run clear. This is very important to prevent unabsorbed dye from bleeding into any white areas. If possible, rinse with the fabric bundle sitting flat on the baking rack. If it is held vertically, some of the unabsorbed dye could run into white areas as it is rinsed off.
- Carefully remove rubber bands with a scissors and unfold the fabric.
- Wash in cold water with a mild detergent, rinse and dry.