Easy Dyeing

Sometimes I get bored of the colors in my closet and just want to change things up, but I hate all the mess dyeing fabrics can make. I've been working on a easy and mess-free dyeing process. I tried this last night and it worked out pretty well. It produces deep, but not completely even coloring:

What you'll need:

• a tee shirt (100% cotton)
  
• 1 tbsp baking soda
  
• fabric dye (I used Rit Dye - it's about $3 at the grocery or art supply store)
  
• 2 tbsp salt
  
• plastic gloves
  
• microwave
  
• 3-4 cup glass jar
• oven mitts
• large glass bowl

Step 1:

Fill a glass jar 3/4 of the way full and add baking soda. Add your dry shirt to the jar. Shake it and then put it in the microwave for 3 minutes (if the lid is metal take it off or something bad will happen)

Step 2:

Using oven mitts, remove the jar from the microwave. Intermittently shake the jar for 10 minutes, ensuring that the shirt is fully saturated.

Step 3:

Pour the shirt and the baking soda/water solution into a large glass bowl. Move the shirt around, so that all of the shirt is wet.

Step 4:

Pour about 3 tablespoons of dye into the glass jar and add salt. You can use as much or as little as you want depending on how saturated you want the color. Pour two cups of water into the jar, put the lid on and shake until all the dye is dissolved. Add the wet shirt

 to the jar. Microwave the jar and shirt for three minutes. Intermittently shake the jar for 30 minutes.

Step 5: 

Let the jar sit overnight.

Step 6:

Wearing gloves, unscrew the lid of the jar carefully. Pour out the dye and run the jar underneath cold water for 2 minutes. Remove the shirt from the jar and repeatedly rinse and ring out.

Step 7:

Wash the shirt in cold water separately or by hand for its first 2-3 cycles of being in the wash.