Tie Dye Patterns - Best Tutorial for Tying

Learning about different tie dye patterns and techniques will allow you to create masterpieces of your own using old or new but boring fabric pieces. There are endless designs available for you, depending on the method that you choose to follow. Getting the hang of not just one but most of them will take your creativity to the next level. You can get started with these DIY tie dye patterns.

Steps for Creating Cool Tie Dye Patterns

The success of tie dyeing your fabrics and creating the pattern you want will depend on many factors. That’s why you have to keep the following in mind before you start the process:

1. Prepare the Materials and Working Area
2. Choose the Right Fabric Material
3. Wash the Fabric
4. Soak the Fabric in Soda Ash Solution
5. Fold and Tie
6. Apply the Dye
7. Wash and Dry

DIY Tie Dye Patterns- VIDEO

Check out the Youtube video I made for how to tie dye! It really is easy to tie dye. Stick around to the end and it will show you the 6 easiest different tie dye patterns.

Step 1 - Prepare the Materials and Working Area

Have your materials and work area ready before washing and/or soaking the fabric. The materials you will need will depend on the technique you’ll use.

Cover your working surface with plastic or an old tarp to prevent the dye from staining it. Except for the ice dye technique, dilute and mix the dye as per the product instructions in the applicator bottle provided.

The materials you would need are:

• Dyes (some dyes will require soda ash)
• Water
• Bucket and tongs or mixing bowls and paintbrushes
• Rubber Bands
• Plastic or Ziploc Bag
• Gloves

Step 2 - Choose the Right Fabric Material

Not all fabric materials will efficiently absorb the solutions, dye or bleach, that you’ll use. Some will absorb them poorly and get washed off immediately. 100% cotton or those made of natural fiber are highly recommended. You can also consider fabrics made of two or more fibers, as long as one is natural. However, expect that the colors produced will be less vibrant.

Step 3 - Wash the Fabric

Undoubtedly, washing the fabric will help remove dirt that can affect the outcome negatively. Newer fabrics will also benefit greatly since washing them will remove the chemical coat or sizing responsible for keeping them free from stains and wrinkles. This coat will prevent the complete absorption of the dye or bleach that you need for your different tie dye patterns.

When washing the fabric, refrain from using fabric conditioner or softener as it can also prevent dye absorption. Likewise, ensure you wash out the detergent completely. After washing, leave the fabric wet.

Step 4 - Soak the Fabric in Soda Ash Solution

Soda ash will help the fabric absorb the dye better, giving you better results. You can skip this step when creating different tie dye patterns with bleach and dye brands such as Tulip which contain soda ash.

Here are the steps that you need to follow to wash in soda ash:

1. Wear your rubber gloves.
2. In a bucket or basin, dilute the soda ash with the right amount of warm water. Follow the instructions on the product label.
3. Add at least two tablespoons of salt.
4. Mix thoroughly to ensure the soda ash and salt get dissolved completely.
5. Completely soak the fabric in the solution for at least two minutes.
6. Wring out excess water and spin dry to leave it damp.

Step 5 - Fold or Bundle With Patience

Just like fabric painting, patience and dedicating enough time will lead to better results, so bundle or fold the fabric seamlessly. Each of the folds is important in pattern creation since it will prevent the dye or bleach from reaching particular areas of the fabric. If done without care, you won’t end up with the design that you want. Worst, you might end up with a completely dyed or bleached fabric. Also, keep in mind that narrow folds or bundles will create small, different tie dye patterns, while wider folds or bundles will lead to large patterns.

Ensure that you secure the folds tightly with rubber bands or string. No matter how well you folded the fabric, the dye or bleach can seep through them if you don’t secure them well.

Step 6 - Apply the Dye Color

Wear your gloves and start applying dye. Remember that some colors don’t go well together. Placing them too close to each other can lead to a fashion or decor disaster since they can create a new color. As such, start with the basic or primary colors and then master the color theory before experimenting.

• Using a Bucket

Transfer the dye to a bucket filled with water. Gently swirl the fabric in, let it soak, and lift from the bucket using tongs. Once you’re happy with the color intensity for your different tie dye patterns, place it in a plastic bag and leave it overnight or more.

• With a Brush or Applicator Bottle

Another way to apply the dye, especially if you want each folded section to have a different color, is to brush the dye or squirt it directly on the area you want to color. Of course, use a different brush or applicator bottle for each color. Make sure you do the same on the other side of the fabric. Then, place the dyed fabric inside a plastic bag, seal it, and leave it overnight.

Step #4 - Wash and Dry

Read more about how to wash tie dye.

1. Wear your gloves and remove the fabric from the plastic and check the color produced.
2. If you want more color intensity, put it back in the plastic and leave for a few more hours. Otherwise, bring the dyed fabric to where your sink, bucket, or basin with water is.
3. Rinse the fabric until the water runs clear.
4. Start cutting and removing the rubber bands or strings.
5. Then, manually wash the fabric as per its care instructions and hang it to dry. You will want to wash it separately from the rest of your laundry in case of any remaining dye that may transfer.

How to Make DIY Tie Dye Patterns - Basics

Fold the damp fabric to create the pattern of your choice. Here are six of the easiest different tie dye patterns to start with:

• Spirals
• Scrunch
• Lines
• Hearts
• Bullseye
• Star

DIY Tie Dye Patterns #1 - Spirals

This pattern is one of the most common and popular ones that can help you get the hang of tie dyeing. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Lay your damp fabric flat on your working area, and smooth it out with your hands.
2. Decide where you want the spiral’s center to be.
3. Pinch and lift that area and start twisting tightly until the fabric has a spiral shape.
4. Secure it with rubber bands, ensuring they crisscross each other so that the fabric has six or more wedges.

DIY Tie Dye Patterns #2 - Scrunch

The scrunch is most popularly known as the crumple because of the steps involved:

1. Lay your damp fabric flat on your working area, and smooth it out with your hands.
2. Scrunch your fabric with your hands or fingers to create a crumpled mound.
3. Secure your crumpled fabric with rubber bands for well-defined different tie dye patterns, or leave it as is.

DIY Tie Dye Patterns #3 - Lines

The line pattern will turn your solid-colored fabric into a striped one. All you have to do is:

1. Lay your damp fabric flat on your working area, and smooth it out with your hands.
2. Create vertical or horizontal pleats by folding the fabric multiple times.
3. Secure the fabric with rubber bands. The tighter and thicker the rubber bands, the more defined your stripes will be.

DIY Tie Dye Patterns #4 - Hearts

It seems a little more complicated than the three patterns we discussed, but the heart pattern is actually easy to create. Just follow these steps:

1. Lay your damp fabric flat on your working area, and smooth it out with your hands.
2. Divide the fabric into two by folding it vertically, and then smooth it out with your hands.
3. With a washable marker or pen, draw a half heart, ensuring its center is aligned along the fold you made earlier.
4. Using the bottom of the half heart as your guide, pleat the fabric to make the lines appear straight once the pleats come together.
5. Secure the marked line tightly with a rubber band or string.
6. Add another rubber band at least one inch below the first one. You can stop right here or add another rubber band, depending on the number of dyed sections you want to have.

DIY Tie Dye Patterns #5 - Bullseye

Like the spirals, the bullseye is one of the easily recognizable out of the different tie dye patterns out there, because most beginner crafters use it. To achieve this design, follow these steps:

1. Lay your damp fabric flat on your working area, and smooth it out with your hands.
2. Determine the area of the fabric where you want the center of the bullseye to be. I used the center of the shirt.
3. Pinch the center with your thumb and pointer finger.
4. Pull the fabric to create a cone shape.
5. Take a rubber band and wrap it one to two inches below the fabric’s tip or pointed edge.
6. Wrap another rubber band one to two inches below the first band, and continue to do so as you wish.

DIY Tie Dye Patterns #6 - Star

Creating star tie dye patterns is similar to the heart. The only difference is, of course, the design, which is a star instead of a heart. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Draw a star on paper and cut it out.
2. Lay your damp fabric flat on your working area, and smooth it out with your hands.
3. Divide the fabric into two by folding it vertically, and then smooth it out with your hands.
4. Fold your star pattern in half by folding it vertically, and place it on top of the fabric.
5. With a washable marker or pen, trace the half-star pattern.
6. Using the bottom of the half star as your guide, pleat the fabric to make the lines appear straight once the pleats come together.
7. Secure the marked line tightly with a rubber band or string.
8. Add another rubber band at least one inch below the first one. You can stop right here or another more rubber bands, depending on the number of dyed sections you want to have.

How to Make Ombre Tie Dye Patterns

The ombre tie dye method creates different color gradations that enhance your fabric’s style without going overboard. You can use one or more colors with varying intensities. The steps you need to take are as follows:

1. Prepare the Materials
2. Apply the Dye
3. Wash and Dry

Step #1 - Prepare the Materials

For the ombre method, prepare the following:

• Dye/s
• Water
• Applicator bottle/s
• Spray bottle/s or large paintbrush/es

Step #2 - Apply the Dye

There are two ways to create ombre tie dye patterns, depending on how you apply the dye: paintbrush and spray bottle.

Using a Paintbrush

1. Lay your damp fabric flat on your working area, and smooth it out with your hands.
2. Wear your gloves, take the applicator bottle containing the dye, and squirt it slowly along the fabric’s edge, from left to right, with a thickness of at least two inches.
3. Wet your paintbrush with water, but make sure it’s not dripping. Then brush the paint you applied earlier upward to create a light shade.
4. Wet the paintbrush once more and brush the edge of the painted area upward, creating a lighter shade. Repeat until you cover the entire fabric or areas you want to be colored.
5. Alternatively, you can use another color, but apply the color at the opposite edge and brush the paint downward. Do so until the lightest shades of the two colors meet.
6. Leave it untouched for at least 12 hours.

With a Spray Bottle

To create ombre tie dye patterns using a spray bottle, here are the steps you need to take:

1. Lay your damp fabric flat on your working area, and smooth it out with your hands.
2. Wear your gloves and fill your spray bottle up to the one-fourth mark with your diluted dye.
3. Spray the edge of the fabric, from left to right, with a thickness of at least two inches.
4. Open your spray bottle, add water to dilute it more, and then shake.
5. Start spraying on top of the first shade you sprayed earlier, covering as much area s you want.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you cover the entire fabric or areas you want to be colored. Alternatively, you can use another color and begin spraying its darkest shade at the opposite edge of the fabric. Follow the same steps until the lightest shade of each color meets.
7. Leave it untouched for at least 12 hours.

Step #3 - Wash and Dry

Manually wash the dyed fabric as per care instructions and hang it to dry.

How to Create Shibori Tie Dye Patterns

This Japanese technique of creating different tie dye patterns is more detailed and intricate. It uses strings traditionally, but you can also use rubber bands, and folding techniques. For this guide, we will share the most popular pattern used.

The steps involved are:

1. Prepare the Materials
2. Fold and Tie the Fabric
3. Apply the Dye
4. Wash and Dry

Step #1 - Prepare the Materials

The items you would need for this method are:

• Indigo or Blue Dye
• Water
• Applicator Bottle
• Gloves
• Rubber Bands
• Plastic or Ziploc

Step #2 - Fold and Tie the Fabric

To create one of the most well-known shibori tie dye patterns, here’s what you need to do:

• Lay your damp fabric flat on your working area, and smooth it out with your hands.
• Starting at the bottom and ending at the top of your fabric, accordion fold it evenly. Below is a piece of paper folded in an accordion fold. See how it if folded one direction then another to create a folds similar to that found in a fan.

• Secure the folded fabric with rubber bands in each direction, following a crisscross pattern.

Step #3 - Apply the Dye

1. Wear your gloves and lay the folded fabric on your working surface.
2. Squirt the applicator bottle containing the dye to the exposed areas of the fabric.
3. Flip the fabric and apply the dye to the other side.
4. Place the dyed fabric inside the plastic bag, and then seal.
5. Leave the dyed fabric inside the bag for at least six hours.

Step #4 - Wash and Dry

Once you’re happy with the color, cut the rubber bands, manually wash the fabric by following the care label instructions, and hang it to dry.

How to Create DIY Tie Dye Patterns Using Ice

You won’t need to dilute your dye with water with the ice dye technique. That’s because the ice will act as the diluent.

For this technique, the steps you need to take are:

1. Prepare the Materials
2. Fold and Tie the Fabric
3. Cover With Ice and Dye
4. Wash and Dry

Step #1 - Prepare the Materials

Make sure the following are ready before proceeding:

• Gloves
• Wire Rack
• Small Basin (Bigger than the wire rack)
• Dye
• Ice Cubes
• Plastic or Ziploc

Step #2 - Fold and Tie the Fabric

1. Lay your damp fabric on your working surface and smooth it out.
2. Choose any of the tie dye patterns or the shibori pattern discussed above, and fold and secure the fabric accordingly. The scrunch or crumple technique is highly recommended for this technique.

Step #3 - Cover With Ice and Dye

1. Wear your gloves and place the basin on top of your working surface. Then, place the wire rack in the basin.
2.  Put the damp, folded fabric on top of the wire rack and place ice cubes on top of it, ensuring you cover the entire surface.
3. Sprinkle the dye over the ice.
4. Leave it as is and allow the ice to melt completely.
5. Once all the ice melted and transferred the dye to the fabric, place the fabric in plastic and then seal.
6. Leave it for at least six hours.

Step #4 - Wash and Dry

Once you’re happy with the color, cut the rubber bands and manually wash the dyed fabric according to care instructions and then hang it to dry.

How to Make DIY Tie Dye Patterns Using the Reverse (Bleach) Technique

Aptly named, the reverse technique involves removing color in certain fabric parts to create tie dye patterns. Unlike the other methods, it’s better to use dry fabric.

What You Need to Do

The standard process involves five steps: tying the fabric, applying bleach, rinsing, neutralizing, and washing. If you’re still not familiar with the whole process, this quick guide on how to bleach tie dye should help.

Have Fun With Your Newly Learned DIY Tie Dye Patterns and Techniques!

As a form of art, there is really no standard rule for creating different tie dye patterns or tie dyeing your chosen fabric-made item. Still, as a beginner, it’s wise to follow instructions and tried-and-tested ways to ensure you develop your skills. It also doesn’t have to be perfect since creativity isn’t about perfection. You might even create a pattern of your own that you can share with us!

More Tie Dye Articles

• How to Tie Dye for Beginners
• How to Bleach Tie Dye
• How to Tie Dye Socks
• How to Tie Dye a Hoodie or Sweatshirt
• Tie Dye Patterns