tie dying in a big group... with dilemmas

[dancingbearmama]

Hi!  I used to teach tie-dye at summer camps.  One thing that can save you time is if you wash and soda soak all your shirts and then spin them out in the washer ahead of time, then no one has to do any wringing.  You can store them in garbage bags or rubbermaid boxes according to size for easy distribution.

If you can get your hands on an old blender, you can blend up 4 cups of dye at a time, and just keep at it until you have your gallons of dye ready!

I like Steve's tyvek tag idea -- i may use that next week with my son's class!  

For the ease of choosing designs, you might want to make up a couple sample T-shirts in easy designs, then the kids can choose whether they want to make design A, B or C.  Before the whole thing, show your helpers (or a couple willing parents or older kids!) how to tie up the 3 basic designs (or whatever you choose) and then they can go around and help everyone so that you aren't running around trying to help all 30 people at once.

have fun!
nicole

[steve]

One thing that can save you time is if you wash and soda soak all your shirts and then spin them out in the washer ahead of time, then no one has to do any wringing.  You can store them in garbage bags or rubbermaid boxes according to size for easy distribution.

If you can get your hands on an old blender, you can blend up 4 cups of dye at a time, and just keep at it until you have your gallons of dye ready!

I like Steve's tyvek tag idea -- i may use that next week with my son's class!  

For the ease of choosing designs, you might want to make up a couple sample T-shirts in easy designs, then the kids can choose whether they want to make design A, B or C.  Before the whole thing, show your helpers (or a couple willing parents or older kids!) how to tie up the 3 basic designs (or whatever you choose) and then they can go around and help everyone so that you aren't running around trying to help all 30 people at once.

have fun!
nicole

Another idea is to use activated dye so you do not have to soda soak the shirts. Nicole is right about avoiding the wringing of wet soda soaked shirts. I've been there and it's not good!

I use a hand blender with a wisk attachment to mix dyes. It's easier to clean (just turn it on under running water) and I have mixed as much as two gallons at a time with it!

Again, Nicole is right--pick 3 designs and leave it at that! Maybe a spiral, a scrunch, and a bullseye (as much as I dislike the latter personally). They are quick and easy!

Steve

[dancingbearmama]

If you have all your colors mixed up, can you activate them by just adding some soda ash and shaking vigorously, or does the soda ash have trouble dissolving?  I wanted to activate some thickened black dye, and just used my blender and put in the dry soda ash (it worked great), but I'm curious what the best way to do it in this situation would be (limited time, needing to mix the colors ahead of time).  I like the idea of the kids not having to wear gloves for the tie-up.

peace,
nicole

[steve]

If you have all your colors mixed up, can you activate them by just adding some soda ash and shaking vigorously, or does the soda ash have trouble dissolving?  I wanted to activate some thickened black dye, and just used my blender and put in the dry soda ash (it worked great), but I'm curious what the best way to do it in this situation would be (limited time, needing to mix the colors ahead of time).  I like the idea of the kids not having to wear gloves for the tie-up.

peace,
nicole

You are thinking as I do. See this thread:

http://www.itiedye.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=129

[dancingbearmama]

OK, that link was super-helpful -- glad someone here is reading everything

thanks, Steve!