How to Tie-Dye Anything—Plus, Three of Our Favorite Patterns to Try

To begin tie-dyeing, 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 five to 20 minutes. Rinse the fabric in warm and then cool water until the 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. 

To create a pleated stripes tie-dye pattern, lay a T-shirt flat, and fold in its sleeves. Accordion-fold the shirt from the bottom up in the desired stripe width. Cinch one end of the folded shirt with a rubber band; repeat every inch or so. Dye fabric following our basic technique described above, and remove rubber bands to result in a striated pattern.

To create a band bunches tie-dye pattern, push one finger up inside the shirt front, and with your other hand pull the fabric into a long point. Bind the fabric point tightly with rubber bands. Repeat this process in a random pattern over the front and back of the shirt. Dye fabric following our basic technique described above, and remove rubber bands to result in a bunched pattern.

For a marble sphere tie-dye pattern, decide on a layout for your pattern. Lay a marble inside the flat T-shirt, and cinch fabric over it with a rubber band. Repeat this process with additional marbles to create your desired pattern. Dye fabric following our basic technique described above, and remove rubber bands and marbles to result in a circular pattern.

For a triangle folds tie-dye pattern, fold a T-shirt in half lengthwise twice; fold sleeves so they're facing outward. Fold up one bottom corner of the fabric at a 90-degree angle, and repeat until you are left with a triangle of fabric. Bind with rubber bands. Dye fabric following our basic technique described above, and remove rubber bands to result in a triangular pattern.