Wet, wild, and, yes, a little messy, tie-dyeing is the perfect way to keep kids entertained on a summer day. Even adults will appreciate that moment of anticipation just before the unraveling of rubber bands reveals their own vibrant creations. It's no wonder tie-dyeing never goes out of fashion.

It's easy to forget how simple the technique is. It requires minimal equipment and supplies that are available at any supermarket or hardware store. Simply set out bowls of rubber bands, clothespins, and marbles and experiment with a variety of expressive patterns. Both you and the kids will be thrilled with the results!

Tie-Dyeing How-To Our projects call for large bowls made from a nonreactive material, such as glass or enamel; fabric dye; rubber gloves; a spoon; rubber bands; clothespins; marbles; and salt.

To begin, choose a pattern and gather fabric accordingly. Don rubber gloves and mix dye (following manufacturer's instructions). Add a cup of salt to deepen the color if you like. Immerse a garment in dye, and gently swish it around with a spoon. Remove when the color is slightly darker than desired; this should take 5 to 20 minutes. Rinse the fabric in warm and then cool water until water runs clear. Remove clothespins or rubber bands. Hand-wash with a mild detergent and warm water, and rinse with cool water (or launder alone in a washing machine). Wring in a clean old towel and then line-dry, or machine-dry on the coolest setting.

Variations in Tie-Dye
Tie-dyeing is a "resist" technique: Fabric is cinched so when it's immersed, certain areas resist the dye. The undyed areas form decorative patterns against the dyed ones. Below are four popular designs, although the possibilities are limitless. For best results, use garments made of 100 percent cotton.

Pleated Stripes 1. Lay T-shirt flat, and fold in its sleeves.
2. Accordion-fold the shirt from the bottom up in the desired stripe width.
3. Cinch one end of the folded shirt with a rubber band; repeat every inch or so.

Band Bunches
1. Push one finger up inside shirt front, and with your other hand pull the fabric into a long point.
2. Bind the fabric point tightly with rubber bands.
3. Repeat process in a random pattern over front and back of shirt.

Marble Spheres
1. Decide on a layout for your pattern.
2. Lay a marble inside the flat T-shirt, and cinch fabric over it with a rubber band.
3. Repeat with additional marbles to create your desired pattern.

Triangle Folds
1. Fold T-shirt in half lengthwise twice; fold sleeves so they're facing outward.
2. Fold up bottom corner of fabric at a 90-degree angle, and repeat until you are left with a triangle of fabric.
3. Bind with rubber bands.