Mickey Head Tie Dye Shirts

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Some good illustrated instructions on making Mickey head tie dye shirts from KidsActivitiesBlog.com...

http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/7025/mickey-mouse-tie-dye-shirts

 

 

 

Planning a trip to a Disney Park?  Make a set of these Mickey Head Tie Dye shirts for your whole group & stand out from the crowd!   This fun project will make for some wonderful photos at the parks as well.

 

A few tips before you begin:

• Choose tshirts that are 100% cotton.  Synthetic blend shirts will not hold the color well.
• Be sure to include the Soda Ash step indicated below even if the brand of dye you choose doesn’t say to use it.  The Soda Ash helps set the colors.
• You don’t have to spend a fortune on dye.  There are numerous dye choices online & they all proclaim to offer the best, professional dye jobs. We have always used Tulip brand dye because it’s what I could find at Hobby Lobby. I was worried that buying a “craft” brand of dye would result in less bold colors, but as you can see in the photo above, that’s not the case!
• Ignore the number of shirts your dye packet says it will make.  You will need more dye for this project.  Assuming you are using two colors for your swirl, 1 bottle of each dye color will do about two adult shirts, OR 3-4 children’s shirts.  For Mickey’s head, you will just need 1 bottle of dye for all of your shirts since it’s such a small part of the shirt. 
• Don’t limit yourself to a white t-shirt as your starting point!  I saw an adorable Mickey Head Tie Dye shirt that started out as a baby blue tshirt & they used a royal blue dye with a dark red Mickey head (head was a dark shade of purple becase blue shirt + red dye=purple!). 
• Buy a little more dye than you think you’ll need.  The first time I made a set of shirts, I ended up running back to the craft store with purple fingers because I ran out.  You can always return any unused dye.
• VERY IMPORTANT:  When choosing your color palate, think of the color wheel & choose accordingly!  If you choose red & green for your swirls, consider what mixing those colors will give you….BROWN.  Any place they overlap, you’ll end up with muddy colors.  I would suggest sticking with colors you know mix well (yellow & red, blue & red, yellow & blue, etc).   For the shirts above, I used two shades of blue for the swirls (turquoise & royal blue) and fuchia for the head.   Black dye does not produce a strong black color & I would suggest staying away from it.

Now…onto the fun part!  Here’s how to make your tie dye shirts:

Supplies you will need:

• 1 tshirt per person (100% cotton)
• bag of rubber bands
• waxed plain dental floss & needle
• tie dye mix
• Soda Ash (found with tie dye supplies)
• plastic wrap
• squirt bottles (most dye kits come with these already)

 

 Here’s how to do it:

 

1. Trace your Mickey head pattern on the tshirt with a pencil.
2. Use a basting stitch & sew around your traced Mickey head with the dental floss.  A basting stitch is just up-down-up-down-up-down.  Super easy!  Be sure to leave about 4″ of string hanging out when you begin, because you will pull the two ends together for the next step.
3. Pull strings tight so Mickey is puckered & tie floss in a knot.
4. Use rubber bands & band the area below Mickey’s head tightly.  You want your rubber bands to create about an inch-long border.
5. Soak shirt in Soda Ash for 20 minutes.  Remove & wring out.
   
   

   
    

6. Lay shirt flat on a table with Mickey’s head pointing up.  Using your puckered Mickey head, grab about where the rubber bands are & start twisting.  Keep going until you end up with a “danish” roll shape.  It’s OK if it’s not perfect or if little parts are sticking out.  Just tuck them in…
   

   
    

7. Using 4 rubber bands, create pie sections  on your tshirt danish.   When it’s time to dye, you’ll alternate colors in the sections.  Pull Mickey’s head up through the rubber bands in the middle so his head is sticking out above the danish.

 

 

(8-10)  Lean your shirt over a sink, so that Mickey’s head isn’t touching any other part of the shirt.  Saturate the head until it’s dripping, then cover that part with plastic wrap.  You may end up with a spot or two of dye on the shirt, but try to keep Mickey’s Head color away from the rest of the shirt.

 

 

 

(11)  Dye the rest of your shirt.  Using two or three complementary colors, dye alternating sections of your “danish pie”. 

Important tip:  You want to over saturate your shirt.  Dripping.  More dye than you think you possibly need.  You think you’ve done enough?  Do a little more.  Bury the nose of your squirt bottle down into the creases & give a huge squeeze.  If you don’t use enough dye, you will have a lot of white on your shirt & your tie dye pattern won’t be as striking.  The first time I made ours, I thought I was going to end up with a big blob of blurred colors because “How could I possibly need this much dye!”.  Just trust me.  Go very heavy handed with the dye.

 

(12)  Wrap the whole drippy thing in plastic wrap & let sit overnight.  Laugh at your purple/blue/green/red hands.

 

 

The following day:

 

 

(13)  Unwrap your shirt ball & cut off all  the rubber bands.  Rinse in cold water until no more dye comes out.   This may take a little while!

(14)   Snip the dental floss & pull out of the shirt.

(15)  Run shirt through a cold cycle in the washing machine.

 

Check out the final results!

 

 

 Here’s the back:

 

 

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

Thank you for posting this!

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

You're very welcome, Marty.

 

I think I need to cover my kitchen in plastic and make some shirts.

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

I wonder if this would stain my tub?

[Beckers 1,136]

I wonder if this would stain my tub?

Rinse them outside! Or I bet a magic eraser would fix any stains

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Or I bet a magic eraser would fix any stains

 

Don't try this if you have a fiberglass tub.

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

Don't try this if you have a fiberglass tub.

Well, I asked (cause I have no idea) and Li'L John said we do have fiberglass tubs.  So I asked if we perhaps have a large metal tub outside i could use for this.  he said we have metal garbage cans.  I told him no matter how much he washes it, I don't want to do tie-dyeing in a garbage can.  So my sons have decided i don't really want to tie-dye.  

 

I think I should buy a metal tub, make some tie-dye shirts, and then make the tub into a planter.  I can grow some tomatoes and some herbs in the tub.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I think I should buy a metal tub, make some tie-dye shirts, and then make the tub into a planter.  I can grow some tomatoes and some herbs in the tub.

 

That sounds like a great idea, Marty!

 

In fact, I'm starting to ponder what I want to plant this spring.  I may have to steal your idea.  :)

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

I was going to try this... but didn't want to "stitch" the Mickey with dental floss (plus I didn't think the head would turn out that good as I am a VERY messy tie-dyer).  So, I just painted the Mickey heads on:

 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Also a good idea!

 

I expect the first time I try the tie dye version it will look like Picasso did it.

 

Not that it will be a masterpiece, but that Mickey's head will be unrecognizable. 

[arthuruscg 34]

That is a neat idea, my 4 year old would love it.