Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Kool Aid Tie Dye T-shirts

We decided to try one more Kool Aid Project....Tie Dye T-Shirts!  It was definitely a FUN process to learn about the procedure of Tie-Dye, but unfortunately the Kool Aid washes out! (I wonder if using more Kool Aid packets would it work?)  I would recommend to do this purely as a "process project" or maybe just dye something you will not have to wash! (Like our Tie Dye Baby Wipes with Kool Aid!) My Tie Dye Baby Wipes project is featured here,  if you haven't checked that out.  The final product could be a framed work of art rather than a T-Shirt.  I researched further and found out that you can only use Kool Aid as a permanent dye on animal fibers such as: wool, mohair, alpaca, and human hair!!!  Here is C's  Kool Aid Tie Dye Shirt before it was washed!


The recipe we used for the Kool Aid Tie Dye Shirts can be found here. To make the dye for the shirt, first we put a packet of unsweetened Kool Aid in each container.


Then,  put one oz. of vinegar in each container and stir.


Next, fold and twist your t-shirt  and put rubber bands around it!  Patterns for shaping your shirt to create Spirals, V-patterns, and Random circles can be found here.


C used an eye dropper to apply the different colors of Kool Aid to her shirt.  (no worry about the kool aid dye staining her hands with the eye dropper!)  She LOVED this part!


More concentration and more colors! The directions were to set it in the sun to dry.


It said if you iron the shirt on medium high that it will set the colors (we did that!).  Also, to wait 24 hours before washing (we did that!).  The colors faded to a very light color!!!  You don't want to see a picture of that!  Here is C sporting her Kool Aid Tie Dye before the wash!!!!  At least I took a picture!


I'm still tempted to try this again and use more Kool Aid packets to see if it would work better!

   Have any of you had success with Kool Aid and Tie Dye T-Shirts? 


More Kool Aid Fun: Using Kool Aid to dye Wool/Yarn.
                                                       

10 comments:

  1. I wonder if throwing it in the dryer and heat setting it that way might work?

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  2. What a wonderful end of Summer project to do! We have loads of syringes around that would work well! www.jamesandleighann.blogspot.com

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  3. i would have thought the vinegar and ironing would have done the trick. too bad it washed out -- it was SO pretty!! oh well, you can chalk it up to process over product. or, in my book, it's a great EXPERIMENT to learn from :)

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  4. Wow, had no idea kool aid would wash out of clothes like that. Interesting!

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  5. Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know that I mentioned you on my blog on a recent post about mud. Love all that you do!!! Gianne at cowsgomooandducksgoquack.blogspot.com

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  6. Lovely activity and love the colours before the wash. Too bad, they faded away...
    We don't get kool aid here, so we are going to try with some other colours. Tie and dye has been on my agenda for some time now...
    Thank you for the reminder and inspiration :)

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  7. I wonder if the kool aid could be used as an easter egg dye

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  8. Thanks for sharing this on my tie-dye post. I had seen this before. It's a lovely process irrespective of the colours being washed out...

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  9. I really need to do some more tye die t-shirts this summer!

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  10. Tie dye T-shirts are really cool since it's summer time. Thank you very much.

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