Firework Tie Dye Shirts ~ Made with Sharpie markers and Rubbing Alcohol #DIY #Craft

My girls wanted to make shirts for the 4th of July, so we deiced to make Tie Dye shirts with sharpies. Inspired from the Tie Dye shirts we made at the beach. We did it different this time, we did not use the cups or the dropper but the basic idea is the same.

You could make flags, scarves, t-shirts, towels…. all sorts of fun ideas. This would also be a fun project to do on the 4th in the heat of the afternoon when you are waiting for the fireworks.

To make these all you need is:

Sharpie Makers

Rubbing Alcohol

Spray bottle

White T-shirt

Price of cardboard
I let the girls practice on strips of an old white sheet first. So they could see which colors they liked best and how the designs would bend once you put the alcohol on them.

Put a piece of cardboard in the tshirt to stretch it out to make coloring on it easier. This will also prevent the colors from spreading to the back of the shirt. If you don’t have cardboard you could also use a cookie sheet.

Remember that dark colors can make the pictures look “muddy or messy” if they blend together to much. So try and use only one dark color per picture you draw. Highlight them with as many light and bright colors as you want.

Once you have your pictures drawn, pour rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle. Spay the tshirt with alcohol. The more you put on the more the ink will spread. It will start to spread right away, but you will not see the final “blend Tie Dye look” till your shirt has dried.

If you want to set the ink, you can soak it in a Soda Ash before you draw on the shirt. You can also heat set the ink with a iron. Please note that once you wash the shirt it will start to fade if you do not first treat it with soda ash.