So everyone around you is raving about Tie Dye clothing? From ombre to galaxy and other funky patterns, they’re effortlessly cool and eventually you’ll fork out the 15 pounds to get your hands on one. Luckily for you, they’re super cheap and easy to make yourself. Here are 5 easy steps with photos to show you just how simple it is.

1.     Soak your t shirt in warm salty water for 10-20 mins (the salt helps the colour to lock in)

 2.     Whilst still wet, lay it out on a flat slippery surface and use your fingers to pinch the middle of the shirt and twist it inwards.

 3.     You should end up with a circular shape, don’t worry if it isn’t perfect or tight, this adds to the final look you want to achieve! Use elastic bands to hold the shape in place. You can also use them as guidelines when dyeing in the next step.

 4.     This is where it gets a bit messy! Get your dyes (I’ve used the three primary colours) and mix them with water into three separate bottles. You can also combine mixtures afterwards to make new colours, I’ve made an additional purple colour in this example. Don’t worry if the colours leak into other sections, this will only make it look better afterwards.

 5.     Leave it to soak overnight; it only really needs around 6 hours however the longer you leave it the more vibrant the colours will come out. Wash out the excess dye and hang to dry. You should end up with something like this!

This t-shirt only cost me less than a fiver to buy and make, much cheaper than buying one ready made! You can also apply the same techniques to your old shirts, dresses, shorts, and even shoes.  Fabric dyes are sold in most homeware stores, but you can get them cheap online too, and they last ages.

Visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/luu.fashionsoc/422093194569793/?notif_t=group_activity and look out for our October Tie Dyeing session. At this event we will provide t-shirts, and dyes for you to create the top above and experiment with other Tie Dye styles. Also, feel free to bring any of your old clothes and we’ll help you jazz them up!

Sophia Rasheed