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Tie Dyeing is it messy?

Kimberlie Clare-Campbell

It’s a question I get asked a lot!

Honestly the answer comes down to your participants personalities.

Over the many years I’ve been working with both children and adults doing tie dyeing I’ve discovered that those who are the loud boisterous kids in the class tend to be on the messy side, while those children who are more quiet and self contained are more clean and tidy in the way they approach tie dyeing.

From the time your children start tying up their item to dye you can spot the quiet ones, they are the children who spend a lot of time trying to get the perfect spiral, a precise circle or hill and valley folds of the same height with evenly distributed rubber bands. Your quiet achievers will tie their item over and over to get it just right. These children love detailed instructions and to see examples - the How to Tie and Dye posters included in your Bright Crafts Tie dye workshop kits are very helpful for these children. These posters include both photographic and written instructions on each step of tying up their item so it’s easier for them to create the precision they seek.

loud boisterous kids in the class tend to be on the messy side

Your more open & expressive children can’t wait to get started, they’ll rush off to start tying up their tie dye before you’ve even finished giving them the instructions! You will often find these children tie up their item as quickly as possible because they want to get to the fun bit, the dyeing! You can use the How to Tie and Dye posters to reminder your lively children of different steps along the way and to take things one step and a time.

quiet and self contained kids are more clean and tidy in the way they approach tie dyeing

When it comes time to do the dyeing on your fabric we recommend you cover your tables with plastic to protect the surface and then cover them in 3-4 layers of newspapers to soak up any dye drips or spills. This helps to reduce any mess and makes cleaning up so much quicker and easier. Children’s sized gloves are dye resistant to help keep their hands clean, while the plastic apron’s provide protection to clothing, these are included in your Bright Crafts tie dye workshop kit.

You’ll find that your quiet achievers are very precise in their placement of dye colours on their fabric. They prefer to dye between their rubber bands. You may find them being hesitant when dyeing, concerned that they may use too much dye and colours will rub up against each other and make a mess of their intended design. It’s very rare to see a self contained tie dyer having drips of dye coming through their fabric dripping onto the newspaper. Instead you’ll need to encourage these dyers put on more dye, to poke the point of the witches cap down into the valleys and not just dye the hills so they get more colour on their fabric.

High-spirited tie dyers can’t wait to get started, they’ll happy dye outside the rubber bands and experiment with different colour blends, they’re not worried about perfect results. You’ll find the more outgoing your tie dyers personality the more dye drips through their fabric! Pop extra newspaper in the area your expressive tie dyes are dyeing at to soak up their drips and spills to make cleaning up quicker.

Washout time conjures thoughts of messiness. Yet if you’re organised when you wash your tie dye fabric out it’s not messy. Remember to wear your gloves and have a bag for the newspaper that was wrapped around your fabric, a container to put your used rubber bands in and a wash basket for your washed dyed fabric. Once the washout has been done you’ll find yourself admiring your creations as you put them on the line to dry. I’m sure they’ll be a few children who’ll want to watch their tie dyes swinging in the breeze anticipant the moment they dry so they can put them on.

So is Tie Dyeing messy? As experienced parents and educators who understand your children’s unique personalities and the way they express themselves during activities you’ll find ways to make Tie Dye a fun non-messy activity for everyone involved. Your bright beautiful tie dyes will be a great reminder of the fun you enjoyed together.

Are you ready to create Bright Beautiful Tie Dyes with your children?

Check out the colourful range of tie dye workshop kits on our website?

Want to know more?

Give Kimberlie at Bright Crafts a call or send us an email and we will get your started.

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