Lesson: How to Tie Dye Swirl Pattern

Pinch and twist to create this classic tie dye pattern!

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Tub or large bucket of water
Powder Tulip One-Step dye
Squirt bottles
Rubber bands
Plastic table cloth
2-Ply Paper towels

Rubber gloves
Apron or smock
Gallon-sized Ziplock bags or plastic wrap (plus a Sharpie if you’re doing this with friends!)

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step one

Head here to learn how to prep your item for dyeing. Once your item is damp and ready, lay it flat. Identify where you want the center of your swirl and pinch the fabric in that place with your index finger and thumb.

step two

Gently twist the fabric over and over until a swirl begins to form. You can use your non-dominant hand to control the fabric as it spirals to prevent it from towering. Once you get to the end, you may want to manually place the remaining fabric into the spiral formation, especially with pants and long-sleeve shirts.

step three

Once all of your fabric has been incorporated into the swirl creating a big circle, band the fabric like slices of pizza until your swirl feels secure. 6 or 8 "slices" will do. If working with a bulky items such as sweatpants, you may want to add additional vertical and horizontal rubber bands to keep your large item secure.

step four

Rubber-banding your swirl like a pizza pie comes in handy when applying the dye! Apply dye in "slices," covering the front and back of each slice in the same color. This method results in a perfect spiral!

step five

When applying dye, place colors next to each other that will blend nicely together. If you place two colors next to each other that will turn brown when mixed, be sure to leave ample white space between the colors to allow each color room to bleed.