Reverse Tie-Dye: Transform Your T-Shirt With This Fun Technique

Reverse tie-dye is a unique twist on the traditional method. Instead of adding colour to a white fabric, you remove the dye from a coloured piece of clothing using a mixture of bleach and water, before adding new dye colours to create interesting patterns. The process is simple: lay your shirt on a flat surface, twist the fabric into a spiral, and secure with rubber bands. Then, soak or spray the fabric with the bleach mixture, and leave it to sit for a few minutes. Once the shirt has lightened, untie the rubber bands and rinse the shirt in a bucket of water before running it through the washing machine. Finally, apply your chosen dye colours to the shirt, especially in the lightened sections, and leave it to process for 6-8 hours.

Choosing the right shirt

Fabric Type

It is recommended to use a 100% cotton shirt for reverse tie-dye. Cotton takes dye well and tends to have more noticeable colour removal with bleach. Avoid polyester and spandex as they may not react as desired with the bleach solution.

Colour

Darker colours are typically better for reverse tie-dye as there is more dye to remove. Black, blue, and red shirts are good options as they provide a striking contrast between the light and dark spaces created during the process. However, feel free to experiment with other dark colours to achieve unique results. Keep in mind that the original colour of the shirt may change to a new colour when it comes in contact with the bleach solution, such as blue turning purple.

Thickness

The reverse tie-dye technique works faster on thinner T-shirt material. If you are using a thicker fabric, such as a sweatshirt, the bleach will need to sit longer to have the same effect.

Pre-wash

It is recommended to start the reverse tie-dye process with a dry shirt. However, if you plan to add new dye colours after removing the existing dye, a slightly damp shirt will help the new dye absorb into the fabric more easily.

Pattern

Before applying the bleach, you will need to prepare your shirt for the desired pattern. Use rubber bands of various sizes to secure the shirt and create the pattern. Classic tie-dye patterns include the spiral and crumple patterns, but you can also experiment with other patterns such as the bullseye.

In summary, when choosing the right shirt for reverse tie-dye, opt for a dark-coloured, 100% cotton T-shirt with a thin fabric. Prepare the shirt with the desired pattern using rubber bands, and you'll be ready to start the reverse tie-dye process!

Creating a spiral pattern

Preparation:

Before you begin the spiral pattern, there are a few important steps to follow:

• Choose a dark-coloured T-shirt, preferably black, blue, or red, to ensure the reverse tie-dye effect is bold and visible.
• Pre-wash the T-shirt to remove any coating of chemicals that may prevent the dye from being absorbed effectively.
• Set up your workspace by covering the surface with plastic or a large trash bag to avoid any stains. Ensure you have good ventilation if using bleach.
• Gather the necessary materials, including rubber gloves, a dust mask, dye, soda ash solution (if required), rubber bands, and a wire rack (optional).

Creating the Spiral Pattern:

• Lay the damp T-shirt flat on your work surface.
• Identify the centre point of your spiral. A perfect centre spiral can be achieved by locating the centre of the collar and the section just under the sleeves.
• Pinch the fabric at this centre point and twist it into a swirl. You can use a clothespin or your fingers to pinch the fabric.
• Continue twisting the fabric tightly until the entire shirt is formed into a spiral shape.
• Secure the spiralled shirt with rubber bands. Use three or more rubber bands, crossing them over the centre of the spiral to create wedge-shaped sections.

Applying Dye:

• Divide the spiral into segments or "pizza slices". You can create as many segments as you like, depending on the number of colours you want to use.
• Apply dye to each segment, creating your desired pattern. You can use squeeze bottles or dip the shirt into buckets of dye.
• Flip the shirt over and repeat the dye application on the other side, matching the dyes in the same colour pattern.
• Place the dyed shirt in a sealable plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap to keep it damp while the dye sets. This process can take 6-8 hours or overnight.

Rinsing and Washing:

• Once the dye has fully processed, remove the rubber bands and rinse the shirt under cold running water.
• Wash the shirt in the washing machine, using warm or cold water with a small amount of detergent.
• Dry the shirt in a dryer or let it air dry.

Now you have your very own reverse tie-dye T-shirt with a vibrant spiral pattern!

Creating a crumple pattern

To create a crumple pattern, start with a damp, but not wet, shirt. The shirt could be fresh out of the washing machine. If you washed it a different day, then dunk the shirt in a bucket of water or a sink and wring it out before starting.

Lay the shirt flat on the work surface. Using your fingers, start to scrunch the shirt together in the centre. Continue to gather it together towards the centre until you have a crumpled circle of a shirt.

Place the first rubber band around the crumpled pattern by carefully sliding it under/over the shirt and across the centre. Add more rubber bands to create an 8-slice pizza pattern. Don't worry if it looks messy. You can adjust the rubber bands so that they are evenly spaced around the shirt. You can also tuck any loose ends into the rubber bands, so the circle shape is nice and tight. Add a final rubber band around the sides of the shirt to hold everything in place.

Applying the bleach

Before applying the bleach, make sure you are wearing old clothes and disposable gloves. Work in a well-ventilated area that won't be damaged by bleach, such as outdoors or in a kitchen with an open window and a fan blowing the fumes outside. You can also do this over an empty washing machine or in a kitchen sink or bathtub.

For the bleach solution, you can either use a 50/50 mix of bleach and water in a spray bottle or a bleach toilet bowl cleaner. If you are using the bleach and water solution, gently shake the bottle to mix the ingredients. If you are using the toilet bowl cleaner, make sure it contains bleach.

Now you are ready to apply the bleach to your shirt. If you are using rubber bands, place the shirt on a flat surface and twist the fabric into a spiral or crumple it into a circle, securing it with the rubber bands as you go. If you are not using rubber bands, simply lay the shirt flat.

If you are using the spray bottle, mist the shirt lightly for a subtle effect or spray more heavily for a more dramatic tie-dye look. Focus on spraying the bunched-up sections of fabric. If you are using the bleach toilet bowl cleaner, drizzle or squirt the cleaner over the shirt, then use your gloved hands to spread it all over.

Leave the bleach on the shirt until the colour has changed to your liking. This should take 15-20 minutes, but you can leave it for up to an hour. The longer you leave it on, the more colour will be removed.

Adding new colours

Once you have rinsed and washed your shirt to remove any residual bleach, you can begin adding new colours. It is important to note that your shirt should be damp, not soaking wet, when you start this stage. If you are working on a hot day, the shirt may dry out quickly, so keep a spray bottle of water on hand to spritz it if needed.

Prepare your tie-dye kit according to the package instructions. Find a space where you can work without worrying about staining the area. Again, wear gloves and old clothing to protect your skin and clothes from the dye. Lay your shirt out flat and begin applying the dye to the bleached areas. Make sure you use enough dye to get a good saturation of colour. Be mindful of your colour placement—avoid placing complementary colours (like red and green) next to each other, as they tend to create muddy, brownish colours when mixed.

Once you have finished applying the dye, leave the shirt to sit for at least 6-8 hours to allow the dye to cure and produce the brightest colours. If you want more vibrant colours, you can leave the shirt in the bag overnight. After the dye has cured, remove the shirt from the bag and rinse it in cold water until the water runs clear. Let the shirt air dry completely before washing it again in cold water and drying it.

It is recommended to wash the shirt by itself or with other tie-dyed items for the first few washes to prevent any dye transfer to other clothing items.

Frequently asked questions