I love my sister for a whole lotta reasons, more than I’ll ever be able to write out here. Annika’s my bestie. I love how similar we can be, but also really value how different we are – and let me tell you, those differences came in handy when we decided to take on the DIY tie dye trend earlier this summer.
While I was talking about how stressful it was (spoiler, it’s not.) and looking up endless directions on how to tie dye a heart pattern (sound bites like, ugh this is hard. no that’s not enough. UGH I’m not patient enough for this.), sis is over there reminding me to go with the flow (sound bites like, can you just chill? it’s supposed to be whatever you want. it’ll come out great. it’s doesn’t have to be perfect).
We all need that person by our side when we’re trying to be crafty and fit in with the cool kids.
Anyways, because of Annika, my sweatshirt was a mega SUCCESS. She even cut it so it was a ~crop~ sweater.
There’s lots of great instructions out there on how to tie dye a heart pattern, so I don’t want to re-create the wheel, but wanted to share the awesome sweaters and tie dye we used, plus tips we learned along the way.
[WHAT YOU NEED]
- White Men’s Crewneck Sweater – This Russell one is SO comfy. Runs big, so if you’re going for the oversized or crop look, you still might be at your normal size. I’m wearing a small (height 5’6″, 34DD for reference).
- Rubber bands, a lot
- Tie Dye – Tulip is a brand my sister had used, it worked great and seemed popular! The colors came out beautifully. Here are some of my favorite Tulip packs (you may have to wait a bit longer for shipping, or check out craft stores near you like Michaels or Hobby Lobby.
- Moody Blues
- Mermaid
- Princess (colors I used, but purchased separately)
- Gloves/Newspapers to cover your hands and workspace – goal is no stains!
[TIPS]
- Helpful videos here + here. Post with step-by-step photos here. Shout out to these folks for their patience & examples!
- Reminder: Wet your item with cold water and ring it out before you start rubber banding.
- If you can’t track down bottles of available Tulip tie dye, you’ll probably come across packets. These work fine! Just also grab some plastic bottles.
- I think the powder instructions talk about boiling a bucket of water or something, and putting in the powder – nope. Sis just put warm water in the bottle and shook it up.
- There will be pockets of white because of the folded pieces in the rubber bands. If you want less of this, use your fingers to open up pockets of banded item and squeeze dye in there. (I checked mine after 12 hrs, and added more dye because of this.)
- Let item sit for 24 hours and then wash alone.
Have you tried on the DIY tie dye trend yet?
If no, I believe in YOU. If yes, share below or on Insta – I want to see!
P.S. If you found this helpful, would you pin or share with a friend? And if you’re hungry for another DIY project, check out this wedding shadow box how-to!