My impatience took over on Day Four.
When I woke up Saturday morning, I grabbed the directions I’d been stowing on my dresser since the Tie Dye on the Lawn event at Liverpool Public Library on Wednesday afternoon and read the how-to one more time.
Let it set for eight hours, it plainly said. Or even overnight.
When I’d left the exciting get-together that had attracted 400 patrons, my tie-dye veteran colleague Sara had told me to let my T-shirt sit in the back for a long time. Weeks, plural, to let the color do its work, I do recall.
But, no.
It’s in the bag.
That bag I’d place on the floor in the back of my Chevy Cruze was burning a hole in my consciousness.
Take it out carefully, rinse it will with a hose or in the shower or sink, wash in hot water, wear, those instructions handed out by my friends the librarians said.
My dear wife Karen advised that I take mine out on the lawn of the Little Bitty, which needed water badly with this hot weather settling over our Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood anyway.
Hover over a gallery photo for a description. Click on an image for an enlarged slide show.
I turned the hose on and watered the grass and my tie-dyed shirt in the backyard, soaking it thoroughly on both sides before removing the five rubber bands I’d placed around the plain white T.
Hmmm. The stripes look OK. The bottom of the shirt and sleeves are pretty cool. The top … Let’s say the dye, in day four, had not yet soaked its way all the way through to that part of my T.
Weeks. Plural. Next year.
I’ll wear it proudly.
My dear wife Karen says she loves my design. Bless her fashion sense.
Do you prefer the heavy bottom or lighter top of the shirt? Would you like a swirl design? How long should I let it set next year?
Mark Bialczak 
There’s the shirt 🙂 (Seek & ye shall find!!) It turned out good – you know in tie-dye, you never really know how it will turn out, until the rubber bands are cut! That’s part of the beauty ❤
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Yes, the anticipation was thrilling and killing me at the same time, Sadie. Next time, more time to steep. 😉
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I like the graduation to the lighter on top Mark – it is perfect.
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Ha! Nice shirt, Mr. B! You wear it well. 🙂 I wouldn’t have been able to wait that long either, I am the queen of instant gratification! My kids loved doing those when they were little but I agree that adults enjoy it too. 🙂
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How can I get myself to put it away and forget for awhile, Mrs. B? That will be the challenge. 🙂 Act like an adult. Repeat, repeat, repeat, for two weeks.
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My family’s just tie-dyed shirts for everyone (9 people, including my grandparents and brother’s girlfriend). My mom orchestrated it, and it was such fun. I did a tank top that I love from our school fundraiser because me wearing white is always a disaster (I actually wasn’t allowed to when I was little). The swirl pattern turned out really well – some people asked if i’d bought it. My mom did an awesome job of researching and tieing everything incredibly well and dying it properly because our previous attempt wasn’t incredibly successful.
Anyway, I love tie dye and your shirt actually looks pretty cool 🙂 24 hours should be plenty… my best guess is that they didn’t use soda ash.
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Congratulations on your successful family tie dye adventure, Victoria. I’m glad you can wear white with swirly colors now that you’ve grown up. 🙂 I’d like to see all nine of you wearing your tie-dye shirts at the same time. That would be very cool.
Yes, our library did use buckets of soda ash for setting before the dye application. I had my shirt in the solution for at least, oh, eight minutes. I think I did a bad bundling job somehow. First time and all. 😮
I hope you’re having a great summer.
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I like a faded look bro Mark, but not quite that faded. The bottom is waaaay toooooo bright for a nice tie-dye. Voice of the ’60’s speaking here.
Voice of the 2016 says everything bright and beautiful, except for clothing that feels better when it is old and worn and comfy.
One year ago today my Mom passed away, so it’s a bittersweet day for me.
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RIP, my dear sis Angie’s Mom. No need to talk about T-shirts.
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Thank you bro Mark.
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You’re welcome, sis Angie.
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I like it! I almost always washed the kids’ the following day, so I’m not sure about the technique. I think if you left it too long in the bag, you’d risk mildew?
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Uh-oh. Mildew. I didn’t think of that pesky problem, Joey. Oy!!
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I like it Mark. I think it turned out great! ❤
Diana xo
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Thank you so much, my sharp-fashion-sensed friend Diana. ❤
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Looks super cool. I love a bit of tie-dye, I do! Especially a swirl pattern!
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I want to see a photo of you in your tie dye on your blog, Amanda. 🙂
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Oooooo, I might be able to make that happen! Hehe 😊
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I think it looks great! I love the gradation!
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Thanks, Kimi. I’m wearing it today, and feeling pretty confident! 🙂
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I like the sleeves and the heavy bottom of the shirt. You should do the swirl design next year. (⌒▽⌒)☆
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I think it is excellent,i think you could leave it a bit longer next time to see what the difference if any difference there is! 😎
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Thank you, Willow. I think next year I’ll try to give it a full week. I’m so darn impatient. 🙂
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Aren’t we all , I have absolutely no patience either
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OK, I’ll approve the link because I clicked over and your site looks sharp, RFH, my readers would have appreciated a few words of comment, too.
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