Tie dye is a process of dyeing garments made from knitted or woven fabrics, usually cotton. When we think about tie dye and its origins, the first image that often comes to mind is the freewheeling hippie lifestyle of the 1960s. Today, many of us who wear tie dye feel some connection to that peace-loving hippie spirit! Many are surprised to learn that the history of tie dye actually began long before those times of free love and music. The first mentions of tie dye in historical documents date back to ancient Japan and China. Tie dye gained popularity in the United States during the Great Depression and was considered a cheap way to add new color to old materials. Booklets describing how to dye your tie and use old cotton, flour, coffee and sugar sacks to create new clothes and home decorations were distributed. The best shirt to use when dying your tie is a 100% cotton shirt. However, you can use a 50% cotton and 50% polyester t-shirt. If you choose the latter, though, the color won't be as vibrant. In the past I have tried dyeing a shirt that was 100% polyester. After dyeing and discarding the shirt, all the dye was washed away. Apparently dyes only bind well on natural fabrics such as cotton, silk and rayon. Once you've chosen the garment, it's time to buy the dye. Dye kits can be easily purchased at craft stores, such as Hobby Lobby and Michaels, and will include everything you need. Inside the kit there will be rubber gloves, rubber bands, sodium carbonate, urea and easy to follow instructions. Dyes will be supplied separately in squeeze bottles if not already available. Of all the dyes the best to use is Progon because it is the brightest. An alternative to pur...... middle of paper...... possibility of leaving the shirt on for up to thirty-six hours, If the shirt is left on longer than thirty-six hours, the colors will become blurry. Now, for the moment every tie dyer waits for, it's time for unveiling. Wearing rubber gloves, remove the shirt from the zip-lock bag. There are two options for rinsing your shirt. The first is to remove the rubber bands from the shirt, unwrap it and start playing it in the sink under cold water. The other option is to rinse the shirt first, remove the rubber bands, and then discard it. As a warning, the water will turn black due to the mixture of dyes. It is impossible for all the dye to bind to the shirt, but a sufficient amount will remain. Continue rinsing the shirt until the water runs clear. If done right, the pattern will be revealed. The last step is to wash the shirt in the washing machine.