Tie-Dye t-shirts

Tie-dye t-shirts were not only on Rosie’s Summer Bucket list, they were a great craft to fill a hot summer day in total tween fashion. She found a kit on the sale rack at Michael’s that was a different from your “normal” tie-due kits- this one had stenciled letters. And, she put a twist on the traditional shirt by picking out a tank top. It looked like a perfect craft for our summer challenge- it was inexpensive, easy for her to do by herself at 12 and it would fill most of an afternoon. 

 

Since I’m not a craft blogger (just a mom that sometimes wields a glue gun), we’re not doing a tutorial. However, I do want you to note that yes, my child did read the complete set of instructions before she began (can I hear a woo-hoo?). This kit was pretty nifty. All she had to do was decide on what to say (That took a while. Because of social media, there are so many more cool things for a tween to say these days. The 80’s were not as kind) and then stencil away. 

 Next, she had to decide where to tie (since the stenciled letters would turn out dark, she decided to use the rubber bands to create and accent). And throw the shirt and the packet of dye straight into the washer.

(I do have to confess that this step did make me a little uneasy. In the past, we’ve only tie-dyed in a bucket outside or in the basement. Then thrown the shirt in the washer after. This called for the washer to do the work. In a weak mommy moment, I yanked the directions from her just to make sure that’s what it really said. It did. I need to learn to trust my tween more. BTW, the pink came out of the washer fine. When we made another shirt that was blue, it stained the inside something fierce. Just a heads up).

So how did it turn out? Fantastic! The shirt was done just in time for Rosie to wear to dance. And what did it say? You’re so fake, Barbie is jealous. You go girl!