Assemble
You will need:
Trash bags to protect working surfaces, plastic grocery bags to store your creations in, Paper Towels to clean up and wrap your work in, Rubber Bands to tie up your shirt with, Rubber Gloves to protect your hands, Eye protection, and clothing protection, Plastic Bucket to soak your shirt in, Chop Sticks to spiral shirts with, Dye squirt bottles, Dyes, Fixative, detergent, Clean Shirt, Or our tie dye kit :-)

Treat!
In the bucket, Soak in the right fixative, for the fiber reactive dye, that is a solution of one cup Soda Ash, or Sodium Carbonate in a gallon of water. Wring out the shirt really really well so that there will be space in the fabric for the dye.

Prepare!
Use only the right fabric for the dye you are using and follow the directions. I use a fiber reactive dye. So It won't react with synthetic fibers Nylon, Polyester, Spandex etc. But will work on any plant fiber based fabric, Cotton, Rayon, Hemp, Linen, bamboo, etc. Cover your work surfaces with plastic! Cover your hands with gloves eyes with glasses and wear an apron, or smock. Mix your dyes and fixative just before your tie dye session. Dyes don't keep well.

Step 1 spread out

Step 4 fold!

Fold, either carefully by meticulously folding the shirt in an accordion fashion, back and forth so you see the edges of each fold at the top and bottom. OR simply just push the shirt as it is spread out on the table allowing more of a random fold size to happen in that direction. This leads for a very very long piece, so i usually fold the shirt over back on itself so it won’t be so long and difficult to work with. Remember that the white highlights run with the folds, and the stripes of color run the opposite direction!

Step 3 Tie!

Tie tightly! wrapping the rubber band firmly around the fabric. Use more space between bands for larger stripes of color, and less space for more smaller stripes of color. IF you folded the shirt place the band closer to the fold as the space is doubled.

Step 4 Dye!

Place your shirt onto a paper towel to absorb any extra dye or fixative on your working surface. A primary color is typically placed on the front covering the entire surface then the shirt is flipped and a secondary color is used to coat the back side. Of course you can place whatever color you want on your shirt. Random color, Random folds, Awesome! randomness!

Dye with LOTS of dye, there are many folds, and the tied up shirt is thick requiring lots of dye to get into the center of the folds. Turn the shirt over and get the back side as well. When finished, wrap up in a paper towel and place in a plastic bag.

In This example, the three primaries were used. Mixing Red Yellow and blue to produce the secondary colors of orange, green and purple. Starting on the right, two sections on the right with primary red. Primary yellow on the second through fourth sections. on the second section to make yellow. Blue on fourth, fifth, and sixth sections. then Red on the last two sections making the entire rainbow!

1.  Wait 24 hours!  The toughest part as you want to see your new creation!  Your Tie Dye needs to be kept from drying out, and left to sit for the dye’s chemical reaction to take place.  If you don’t wait a good 12+ hours the colors will not be as strong.  Waiting several days is just fine.