This week Her Campus KU is hosting Hawk Madness on Thursday, March 26, from 4-7 p.m. outside of McCollum Hall. At this event, Jayhawks can show their spirit by tie-dying t-shirts from Happy Shirt Printing Company and making bracelets and headbands that are KU colors. In lieu of this event, I’ve decided to show everyone how to tie-dye a t-shirt with the basic swirl design.
Supplies:
- A white t-shirt, 100% cotton
- A pair of disposable gloves
- 3+ Rubber bands
- 1 Ziploc bag
- Dye
- Something to cover your table (plastic tablecloth, trash bags or newspaper)
Step 1: Grab the center of your t-shirt or wherever you want your swirl to start and twist it until it is in a circle. Wrap your t-shirt in rubber bands to keep the twisted swirl in place. I only used three rubber bands, but you can use as many as you like.
Tip: Before you dye your shirt, you may get it wet or keep it dry, depending on your preference. A damp shirt makes more defined patterns, and the dye spreads easier. Make sure you squeeze out excess water if you choose this option.
Step 2: Put your gloves on. Begin adding the dye to the different sections between the rubber bands. Continue this process until all the sections are dyed on this side.
Tip: The amount of dye you use depends on your preference. The more dye you use, the less white space there will be in the swirl. Make sure you don’t use too much dye; this will cause your colors to look muddy.
Step 3: Flip your t-shirt, and repeat Step 3 on the second side until the t-shirt is covered with your desired amount of dye. Make sure you are dying the sections the same colors as you did on the first side.
Step 4: Place your t-shirt in your Ziploc bag for at least 6-8 hours.
Tip: The longer you let the dye process, the stronger the color will be. For this project, I left my t-shirt in the bag for 24 hours.
Step 5: Wash your t-shirt out in a sink, squeezing it until the water is mostly clear. Take out the rubber bands.
Step 6: Wash your t-shirt in the washer. Use very little detergent and wash it on large load, cold/warm water and medium spin. Let your creation dry and enjoy!
Tip: You may want to wash your tie-dyed t-shirt by itself for the first couple of washes just to make sure it doesn’t get on other clothes.
Don’t forget to check out Hawk Madness and get a free t-shirt from Happy Shirt Printing Co. while supplies lasts, and make sure you wear older clothes. Check out Pinterest or YouTube if you prefer to do a different design other than a swirl. Along with crafts, you can enter drawings to win prizes from Fortuity, Kieu’s and Mass Street Sweet Shoppe. Also, don’t forget to post a picture on social media wearing your creations after your t-shirt is done processing, tagging Her Campus KU and using #HawkMadness to have a chance to win a prize from Kieu’s. Other sponsors for this event are KU Student Senate and Hawks Pointe Apartments. We hope to see all you Jayhawks there!