I recently made a video about how to create personalized tie-dye towels and it went viral and I received a lot of questions, so I figured it was time to make a post!
This was such a simple thing to do with my kids, and useful for the beach days ahead this summer!
Personalized Tie-Dye Towels
Supplies needed:
- Plain white towels
- Duct tape
- Tie-dye {I used the spray, which is currently sold out, but I don’t see why you couldn’t just put regular tie dye in spray bottle from Dollar Tree}. I have used a few different brands, and Tulip tends to have the most pigment, so it’s my favorite. One kit worked for us for three towels, so buy a second kit if you have more towels you’d like to do.
- GLOVES! Your tie-dye kit will have a few pairs, but if you have extra messy kids, it may be beneficial to purchase some extra.
- Table cloths, old cardboard, etc. — some kind of surface that can get messy.
STEP ONE
Up to you if you wash the towels first. I did not since I knew they would be washed after dying, so that part is up to you!
Write your name in duct tape. If the name is longer, you may need to write it smaller. {I had a hard time fitting my daughter Karina’s name, so we just did Kar, her nickname}. I didn’t measure or anything…Just starting writing it in block letters and peeled it off and shifted it around to make sure it was centered.
STEP TWO
Create a work surface area. I recommend plastic table cloths held down with rocks on grass or a surface that will be ok if spray gets on them.
STEP THREE
Spray away. Make sure to consider how certain colors make mix if they bleed together. i.e. Do not put green and orange next to each other unless you want it to turn brown 😉 Also, the more you saturate it, the bolder the color will be.
STEP FOUR
Allow side one to dry in the sun {doesn’t take too long}, flip over, and repeat the spraying process.
STEP FIVE
Peel off the letters once dry. Wash in the washer with the towels ONLY. The color will fade a bit, but still be vibrant. Do not worry about the letters bleeding — they do not.
Enjoy your towel and have fun at the beach this year!
What kind of dye do you use .? Is it the fabric one or just regular
I used the Tulip brand tie dye…I’ve used it on lots of things and it always works well!
When you flip the towel over and spray doesnt the dye bleed through?
It likely depends on the thickness of your towel. I did not have this issue with ultra plush bath towels, but I could see that being an issue with thinner towels. In that case, I’d just do one side!
Did you put their name on both sides? This is so cool!!
I did not put the name on both sides, but I think that’s a great idea, and would use less dye. I say go for it!
Hello 🙋🏽♀️ once the letter side dries do you duct take the back side too? When spraying the back side won’t the dye go through to letter side?
The dye did not go through ours, but they were pretty thick towels. I can’t speak for all brands. We didn’t duct tape the other side, but I think that is a great idea to try!
Where did you find your towels?
These are ultra plush bath towels from Walmart 🙂 I saw some fab ones at Costco as well!
How did you wash them to make sure the color doesn’t fade?
The color will fade a bit over time with washing and sun, but it still looks great!
What was the process you used when you washed the towels? I didn’t use the Tulip brand dye, but it was still spray tye dye. When I washed the towels tho, the color faded significantly. All I put in the wash was a little detergent.
Can you dip the towel instead of spray?
I can’t see why not! I think regular tie-dye can work too — just need gloves and adult supervision for sure!
How did you wash your towels once the dye was dry? Hot or cold water?
It was warm with cold water for the first time here 🙂
Does it have to be duct tape or can it be painters tape?
Detergent or no for the first wash?
Where can I buy the tye dye spray at
Hi Doris! It’s available on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3NqJdDn
Did you buy jumbo towels for your kids?
I believe they were jumbo or at least XL bath towels from Walmart 🙂