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TIE-DYE DIY

We show you four easy techniques for creating tie-dye clothing at home

WANT to get some colour in your life with this season’s hottest trend? If so, you can DIY – dye it yourself.

Hippy Seventies trend tie-dye has made a huge comeback and you can sort it yourself for far less than it will cost you on the High Street.

Tie-dye, the '70s hippy trend has made a huge comeback this season and is all over the High Street
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Tie-dye, the '70s hippy trend has made a huge comeback this season and is all over the High StreetCredit: Getty Images - Getty

Create whatever colour combinations and patterns you like – and get the kids involved.

ABBY McHALE tests out techniques and gives her verdict on the best ways to create.

What you need

The tools for tie-dying are easily found in the home
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The tools for tie-dying are easily found in the homeCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun

YOU NEED:

  • washing-up bowl or sink
  • wire cooling rack
  • powdered hand-wash fabric dye (available in most craft shops from £3)
  • empty plastic bottle with twist-cap nozzle
  • rubber gloves
  • plastic bags

EXTRAS (depending on your chosen method):

  • pebbles
  • elastic bands
  • household bleach
  • fork
  • dental floss

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

  • Place the cooling rack over basin
  • Add a tablespoon of dye in the colour of your choice to an empty plastic bottle, fill with water and shake well
  • Dampen the clothing you want to dye, by pre-washing it or holding it under a cold tap and squeezing off excess water before you begin to dye. If it is dry, the dye will run off.

Pebbles

A plain white T-shirt can be totally transformed using some pebbles and dye
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A plain white T-shirt can be totally transformed using some pebbles and dyeCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun

AN easy way to create circular patterns on your clothes – just make sure you have elastic bands to hold the pebbles in place.

  • T-shirt, £8, Boohoo -
Step 1: Lay the pebbles down over the rack
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Step 1: Lay the pebbles down over the rackCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
Step 2: Place the T-shirt down over the pebbles. Wrap your T-shirt around the pebbles using elastic bands to hold them in place
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Step 2: Place the T-shirt down over the pebbles. Wrap your T-shirt around the pebbles using elastic bands to hold them in placeCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
Step 3: Squeeze out dye, covering your garment only in the areas you want a pattern to emerge
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Step 3: Squeeze out dye, covering your garment only in the areas you want a pattern to emergeCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun

Abby’s verdict: This was one of the easiest methods and one of the most effective. But try not to use too much dye as some of the circles did merge together. I would definitely wear this T-shirt – it looks like something you’d pick up on the High Street.

Abby thought this was one of the easiest methods and she was pleased with the results
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Abby thought this was one of the easiest methods and she was pleased with the resultsCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun

Fork

IT is not only white clothing that you can dye. Darker items such as this black T-shirt can be bleached, then if you wish, dyed over the top of the bleach.

It's not just light-coloured clothing that you can use for tie-dying
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It's not just light-coloured clothing that you can use for tie-dyingCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
  • T-shirt, £8, Boohoo -
Step 1: Lay the T-shirt out on a flat surface and place a fork in the centre
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Step 1: Lay the T-shirt out on a flat surface and place a fork in the centreCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
Step 2: Using the fork begin to twirl clockwise until you can’t twirl the fork any more. By this point it should have made a circular shape
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Step 2: Using the fork begin to twirl clockwise until you can’t twirl the fork any more. By this point it should have made a circular shapeCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
Step 3: Add elastic bands to keep in place
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Step 3: Add elastic bands to keep in placeCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
Step 4: Cover areas you want to dye – and watch the bleach do its magic
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Step 4: Cover areas you want to dye – and watch the bleach do its magicCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun

Abby’s verdict: The most effective method. The fork left a great swirl pattern and the bleach really made a difference on the black T-shirt. The design is almost perfect. I love this one and can’t believe how well it’s turned out

Abby found the fork technique to be the most effective and loved the patterm
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Abby found the fork technique to be the most effective and loved the pattermCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun

Shoe lace

A GOOD method for dyeing larger items, such as a maxi dress or trousers. Make sure your shoe lace is long enough to span the width of the garment, plus a little extra on either side. Tie two laces together if it does not quite reach.

For longer items such as maxi dresses the shoe lace method is most effective
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For longer items such as maxi dresses the shoe lace method is most effectiveCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
  • Dress, £39, JD Williams -
Step 1: Place your garment out on a flat surface with the lace at the bottom
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Step 1: Place your garment out on a flat surface with the lace at the bottomCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
Step 2: Make sure both ends of the lace are visible and roll the garment upwards
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Step 2: Make sure both ends of the lace are visible and roll the garment upwardsCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
Step 3: Once fully rolled, take both ends of the lace and make into a circle
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Step 3: Once fully rolled, take both ends of the lace and make into a circleCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
Step 4: Tie the ends of the lace together and begin to place the dye where you want
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Step 4: Tie the ends of the lace together and begin to place the dye where you wantCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun

Abby’s verdict: An easy method to grasp – and the results turned out better than expected. It gave the desired ombre effect it was meant to. I love it. Great for summer and really stylish.

Abby found the method easy to grasp and, more importantly, it worked!
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Abby found the method easy to grasp and, more importantly, it worked!Credit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun

Dental floss

ALL you need to do for this method is raid your bathroom cabinet for dental floss. It will result in a fun, striped effect.

The dental floss method is one of the most simple ways to tie-dye at home
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The dental floss method is one of the most simple ways to tie-dye at homeCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
  • Skirt, £19.99, New Look -
Step 1: Lay skirt on flat surface and fold it into inch or so wide pleats, fanning from one side to other
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Step 1: Lay skirt on flat surface and fold it into inch or so wide pleats, fanning from one side to otherCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
Step 2: Use dental floss to tie around the skirt, use as much as you like depending on how many stripes you’d prefer
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Step 2: Use dental floss to tie around the skirt, use as much as you like depending on how many stripes you’d preferCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
Step 3: Place skirt on a rack over a sink or bucket, to avoid making a mess, and cover in your preferred dye
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Step 3: Place skirt on a rack over a sink or bucket, to avoid making a mess, and cover in your preferred dyeCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun

Abby’s verdict: This is a simple method and gives great results. Even though I covered the skirt with two dyes, there is a lot that’s been left as plain white, but I do like the subtler effect. The floss make the pattern more symmetrical too.

Abby liked the subtle effect of the dental floss method
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Abby liked the subtle effect of the dental floss methodCredit: Wilfried Haubenberger - The Sun
  •  With thanks to Hobbycraft.
    ASOS is selling leather mini skirt that’s held together by neon laces
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