Before you begin, think of what design you wanted before picking up a Sharpie. To put the colour on the material hold the marker down on the shirt and count to three to make a larger size dot. The larger the dot, the more vibrant the color after the alcohol is added.
Once you have completed your design, use alcohol as a solvent to dissolve and spread the dye. For smaller designs, drip a few drops of alcohol on the design using an eye dropper and watch the color slowly bleed. For the larger fireworks, if you want a lot of spread, use a squirt bottle to add a little more alcohol.
If you don’t want the patterns to blend together, wait about 15 minutes until the first design is mostly dry before adding alcohol to the next design.
Once done, place the t-shirt outside to dry. With permanent marker and alcohol, this activity can get a little smelly so if you can’t do it outside, make sure you have good ventilation.
Once your T-shirt is dry (about 15 minutes) put it in the tumble dryer on high for 10-15 minutes and then it is ready to wear. The hot dryer sets the colors, but you should still wash the T-shirt separately on delicate for the first wash.
Once you have completed your design, use alcohol as a solvent to dissolve and spread the dye. For smaller designs, drip a few drops of alcohol on the design using an eye dropper and watch the color slowly bleed. For the larger fireworks, if you want a lot of spread, use a squirt bottle to add a little more alcohol.
If you don’t want the patterns to blend together, wait about 15 minutes until the first design is mostly dry before adding alcohol to the next design.
Once done, place the t-shirt outside to dry. With permanent marker and alcohol, this activity can get a little smelly so if you can’t do it outside, make sure you have good ventilation.
Once your T-shirt is dry (about 15 minutes) put it in the tumble dryer on high for 10-15 minutes and then it is ready to wear. The hot dryer sets the colors, but you should still wash the T-shirt separately on delicate for the first wash.
The Science Behind It
Sharpie tie-dye isn’t magic without a little science! A solvent is any substance that dissolves a solute. A solute is any substance, gas liquid, or solid, that is dissolved by a solvent.
Permanent markers, like Sharpies, are hydrophobic. Hydrophobic, or “water-fearing”, substances that will not dissolve in water. That’s why permanent markers won’t wash away with water.
The ink molecules in the Sharpies, however, are soluble {they will dissolve} in a different solvent. The solvent {rubbing alcohol} you dropped over the dye dissolved the ink molecules and carried them with it as it spread across the t-shirt.
Sharpie tie-dye isn’t magic without a little science! A solvent is any substance that dissolves a solute. A solute is any substance, gas liquid, or solid, that is dissolved by a solvent.
Permanent markers, like Sharpies, are hydrophobic. Hydrophobic, or “water-fearing”, substances that will not dissolve in water. That’s why permanent markers won’t wash away with water.
The ink molecules in the Sharpies, however, are soluble {they will dissolve} in a different solvent. The solvent {rubbing alcohol} you dropped over the dye dissolved the ink molecules and carried them with it as it spread across the t-shirt.
If you do this at home, please remember to send photos to show us on [email protected] - we love to see photos or videos of the crafts!
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