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top image is bright pink american apparel shorts with white trim dyed in a spiral design with black dye and the bottom image is adding dye to the shorts wrapped in rubber bands, the title says "step by step tutorial -tie dye shorts, abcrafty.com"

Offset Spiral Tie Dye Shorts

Learn how to tie dye shorts at home using an offset spiral technique to get perfect pattern placement!
Yield 1 Pair of Tie Dye Shorts
5 from 1 vote
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Project Time 20 minutes
Setting Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 20 minutes

Materials
  

  • 1 Pair Cotton Shorts
  • Tie Dye Kit (or single black dye)
  • 1 Cup Soda Ash
  • 1 Gallon Water
  • Rubber Bands
  • Plastic Wrap
  • Rubber Gloves
  • Paper Towels

Equipment

  • 1 Bucket or Plastic Bin

Instructions
 

Prepare the Soda Ash Mixture and Shorts for Dye

  • Wash shorts and leave damp. Pinch the top corner of the shorts, twist into a tight spiral, and secure with 3 rubber bands to make 6 sections.
    Rubber Bands
    pink shorts completely twisted into a disc and wrapped in rubber bands
  • Soak the shorts in soda ash solution for at least 20 minutes. Mix 1 cup soda ash with 1 gallon of warm water.
    1 Cup Soda Ash, 1 Gallon Water
    white shirt and pink shirt tied up and and soaking in a bowl of water and soda ash

Prepare the Dye

  • Prepare the dye according to the instructions on the tie dye kit. Typically you fill the bottle to the line with warm water and then shake it until the dye dissolves.
    Tie Dye Kit (or single black dye), Rubber Gloves

Dye the Shorts

  • Lay down plastic wrap on the table and place the shorts on top. Add the dye into one section.
    Plastic Wrap
    pouring black dye from a squirt bottle onto pink shorts tied with rubber bands
  • Skip the next section and dye the next. Repeat so there are alternating sections of dye and no dye.
    adding black tie dye to pink shorts wrapped in rubber bands in 3 different sections

Finish the Tie Dye Shorts

  • Clean the plastic wrap with a paper towel and wrap the shorts. Leave to set for 24 hours.
    Paper Towels
    covering the pink shorts freshly dyed with black dye in plastic wrap
  • Rinse them until the water runs clear. Then run them through the washing machine. Then your tie dye shorts are ready to wear!
    finished pink shorts with black tie dye in the shape of a spiral from the top corner

Notes

I used only black to dye these shorts, but you can also use multiple colors. I recommend getting a kit that has colors and black, such as this one.
Keyword Clothing, Shorts, Spiral, Tie Dye, Tie Dye Kit