In small doses and carefully selected venues, however, tie-dye can be just the thing. Tie-dye is fun and summery, when done correctly it is both color-fast and light-fast, and like a Lilly Pulitzer shift dress, the vibrant melee of colors hides a multitude of fabric stains and other flaws. This makes tie-dye a nearly perfect method to upcycle old fabrics made with plant-based threads such as plain cotton, linen, flannel and jersey knit. Whether you’ve been passed down a giant linen tablecloth that would take a LOT more love than you have to give to freshen up for the table, or someone (I’m not naming names here, but you know who you are) put that one red sock in with your entire stash of white terrycloth towels and you have too much sense to chlorine bleach the bejeesus out of them, or the dress/sheets/shirt/curtains that you found at the thrift store chose not to announce their set-in stains until you brought them home, then tie-dye may be the answer to upcycling stained old fabric into fun new fabric. Here are five projects to inspire you:
1. Linen Napkins and Tablecloths
Napkins and tablecloths are the kind of thing that often get passed down to the next generation, but they’re not always in the best shape when they get to you. Great Aunt Fanny Sue may have kept a pristine table for well onto fifty years, but by the time her table linens got passed on, they may have been sitting in a cupboard for a decade, yellowing and letting old hidden stains get more and more discolored. While yellowed and discolored linens would look gross on your table, brightly-colored tie-dyed linens, like these tie-dyed napkins from Kim Moreau at Good Housekeeping, would look right at home on your summer dinner table, or created with a color scheme to fit in with a fun party. [The image on this page is the property of Andrew McCaul.] Next » Tie-Dyed Socks
2. Tie-dye Socks
We don’t use bleach in our house, so sometimes, at the end of a long summer or perhaps just a hard day with a messy kid, white socks and white T-shirts just need to be…different. Tie-dyed socks, in particular, like these tie-dyed socks from I Sew Cute, are so easy to have, because they can simply be dumped into a basket in a bedroom until needed, on account of they look so awesome. [The image on this page is the property of I Sew Cute.] Next » Tie-Dyed Bed Sheet
3. Tie-dye Bed Sheets
Bed sheets are also a great choice for tie-dye, especially in a child’s bedroom. The tie-dye refreshes stained sheets, renews dingy ones, and it can be done in any range from every color in the rainbow to monochromatic, depending on your color scheme. Because a bed sheet has such a nice amount of yardage in it, you can even use your finished project the way that Moonunit7 did with his tie-dyed sheet, and upcycle it into something else altogether! [The image on this page is the property of Moonunit 7.] Next » Tie-Dyed Party Decorations
4. Tie-Dyed Party Decorations
If you can’t get wild and crazy when you’re decorating for a party, then I don’t know when you can get wild and crazy. Tie-dyed fabric party decorations, such as garlands, streamers, tablecloths, or this tie-dyed bunting from Family Fun, are eco-friendly since you can re-use them every year. They may not fit every year’s changing birthday party theme, but spend one afternoon tie-dying red and blue buntings for Memorial Day and Independence Day, and red and green garlands for Christmas, and you’re set forever. [The image on this page is the property of Family Fun.] Next » Tie-Dyed Kid Clothes
5. Tie-Dyed Kid Clothes
Although an adult can only sport a certain amount of tie-dye at any given time (personally, I’d recommend that this amount be minimal), kids can pull off anything. You can tie-dye anything, ANYTHING for a child and they’ll wear it with aplomb—shirts, pants, sun hats, hoodies, or something upcycled and refashioned like this tie-dye and pink dress from Holy Craft. What are you planning on tie-dying? [The image on this page is the property of Holy Craft.]
