what are some tye die tricks?

Answer 1

This site has some great folding instructions to produce some great designs.
http://www.prochemical.com/directions/Folding.htm

Answer 2

Some words of the wise...
*Do it someplace where you don't dye anything you don't want dyed. (A white bathtub would be a bad idea, kitchen/stainless steel sink would be good if you're careful not to dye the counter-which I hope I don't do later *lol*, some buckets outside in the grass would also be good.)
*You can use rubber bands, yarn, string, big/lil twist ties to mark off sections to dye
*Wear rubber gloves or put plastic Ziploc or sandwich bags over your hands so you don't end up with dyed skin :)
*Mix some vinegar with the dye/water, which will help the color set in stronger
*Make sure to rinse as much dye out as possible when you're finished (run it under water until the water runs clear)
*Set it out in the sun to dry for the first time ~ the sunshine will also help to lock the color in
*Having some plastic bags (such as trash bags or grocery bags) beside your workplace (if you're doing it indoors) would help contain the mess
*WalMart sells tie dye kits that include instructions. I can guarantee you that the dye stays in REAL well because my tie-dyed dish rag is still pretty darn bright after well over a year. Even the dye itself stays in pretty decent shape after that amount of time (I recently used some of my old dye & it came out pretty well!!)
*Most importantly, HAVE FUN!!! :D

Answer 3

Be sure to use high quality dyes. For cotton, I'd recommend Procion MX dyes. The dyes you pick up in drug stores or discount stores won't give you the bright, bold colors you want and the color won't hold.

Also, be aware that most clothing is sewn with polyester thread. If you tie-dye a shirt that is sewn with polyester thread, the thread won't take any dye. If the thread was white to begin with--it will stay white. If you want the thread to be dyed you'll need to find a garment that is sewn with cotton thread.

Dharma Trading has a wealth of instructions and information on tie-dyeing. They also sell Procion MX dyes, tie-dye kits, and garments sewn with cotton thread. http://www.dharmatrading.com/tie-dye/instructions.html

I have no affiliation with Dharma; but, I've always bought my dyes from them and I've been very happy with their products.