How to Tie-Dye and Distress Your White Denim

Here is an easy way to get yourself some tie-dye destroyed jeans. What you will need:

1. White jeans-you can use jeans that have been a little dirty because hey you are going to dye them anyways. The 100% cotton jeans are the best to destroy as they fray the most though the stretch versions can work too just not as well.

2. Procion Dye-you can buy the dye here I do not suggest trying black as it is a very hard color to tie-dye. All other colors should work fine though. 2 oz is enough dye to do about 3 pairs of jeans.

3. Soda Ash Fixer-you can buy the ash fixer here This will set the dye so that it does not bleed too much. One cup of Soda Ash Fixer is enough to do two small pairs of jeans.

4. Rubber Gloves.

5. Newspapers – you don’t want to dye your house, so these will help protect your work area.

6. Empty squirt bottle (optional) – you can squirt the dye on the jeans if you have one of these

7. Measuring cup, measuring tablespoon, plastic spoon (optional) – you can measure your dye and soda ash fixer and use the plastic spoon in place of the squirt bottle to get the dye on the jeans.

8. Thick rubber bands – to bunch the jeans up and hold them in place

9. Plastic bag – you have to let the jeans sit wet for 4-24 hours to set the dye, a plastic bag is perfect for this.

First, using a cheese grater and a block of wood behind the jean, you can destroy the knees or any other areas you want to have that ripped look.

Second, lay your jeans flat on the floor. Have the rubber bands close by you.

Start bunching up your jeans like the picture above.

Wrap the rubber bands around your jeans, try to get them into the tightest ball you can, remember the parts of the jeans that you can see on the ball is what is going to be dyed. Now prepare the Soda Ash Fixer (1 cup fixer for one gallon of luke warm water) and completely emerse the jeans in the Soda Ash Fixer for about 5 minutes. Then take the wet jean ball and squeeze to remove the excess, you want to keep the jeans damp, but not dripping wet.

Now mix the Procion Dye as directed (1 tablespoon for one cup luke warm water for most colors). You can now either transfer it to the squirt bottle and squirt it on your jeans or you can spoon it on your jeans. Do not emerse your jeans in the dye (you probably won’t have enough dye to do that anyway) You want dye all around on the outside of the jean ball, one splash of dye is enough, don’t soak them too heavily with dye. Next you put the wet jean ball in a plastic bag and close the bag so no air can get into it; you want the jeans to be wet so that the dye can react. Let the jeans sit in the bag for 4-24 hours then remove the jeans and rinse (still tied up) under cold water until the water runs pretty clear. Then as you are removing the rubber bands, rinse the jeans under warm water until the water is pretty clear. Almost done! Now put the jeans in the washer on hot with detergent.

The last thing is to admire your work. I hope that you enjoy and have fun doing it! Be creative and make some hot jeans!

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