If you’ve ever thought about tie-dyeing socks, you’re in for a treat. In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to fold socks for tie dye using four beginner-friendly methods that give wildly different results. Whether you’re playing with leftover dye or planning a colorful craft day, these folds are easy, fun, and nearly impossible to mess up.
Why Tie Dye Socks?
Socks are the perfect project for beginners. They’re small, low-commitment, and forgiving. If you “mess up,” you’ve just created a funky pair of socks — and who doesn’t love that? Plus, they’re fast to rinse and don’t use much dye.
All of these techniques work best with soda ash-soaked socks (1 cup soda ash to 1 gallon of water), but if you forget, you can sprinkle soda ash directly onto the fabric or mix it with your dye powder for backup.
Before you start, make sure you have the right supplies! I put together a full guide to the Best Tie-Dye Supplies I use for every project — check it out here.
1. Tiger Stripe Fold
This bold fold gives the effect of wild stripes running down the sock. What you need: Pool noodle or PVC pipe, Magic Tracks or ice barriers
- Scrunch the sock lengthwise onto the pool noodle
- Let the friction hold it in place — no rubber bands needed
- Wrap Magic Tracks around it to help keep the ice from rolling off
- Use colors like tangerine and chartreuse for a citrusy contrast
👉 This method doesn’t just look cool — it’s also super easy to set up with basic household supplies like produce bags if you don’t have an ice barrier.
2. Scrunch Fold
This one’s the classic “just go for it” fold — and it always turns out cool. What you need: Just your hands and a rubber band
- Scrunch the sock randomly into a small bundle
- Secure with a rubber band or stuff it into a container
- Use a color like shiakei mushroom, which splits into purple, brown, and blue
👉 This pair sold on Etsy within 2 days — so don’t sleep on the scrunch!
3. Accordion Fold
Want something a little more structured? Try the accordion fold. What you need: Rubber bands
- Fold the sock back and forth like a paper fan
- Secure with a rubber band in the center
- Try dye colors like deep space (navy purple) and magenta galactica (bright pink)
👉 Use bins with holes or racks to avoid your dye sitting in the runoff, a.k.a. “the muck.”
4. Geode Fold
This is the fanciest fold of the bunch and gives gorgeous ringed effects. What you need: Sinew and a sinew puller
- Wrap the sock with sinew 4–5 times in rings
- Pull tight using a sinew puller
- Use dyes like sage green and seafoam for a calming combo
👉 If you’re new to geodes, I have a whole playlist on YouTube with step-by-step instructions for shirts and socks.
Final Thoughts
The best part of learning how to fold socks for tie dye is that there’s no wrong way to do it. Whether you go for structure or scrunch, you’re almost guaranteed to love the final result.
What are some good socks to use for tie dye?
There are SO many good options but there are also a lot of duds out there. These are all ones I have personally tried and like. Just know if you go to Target and get some socks, the chances of them being all or mostly polyester are quite high. So make sure to check that fiber content!
- Men’s crew
- Women’s Ruffle
- Athletic Stripe Grippy Crew
- Plain Grippy Crew
- Women’s Mini Crew
- Kid’s Crew Socks
Here’s a recap of the folds and dye combos:
- Tiger Stripe – Tangerine + Chartreuse
- Scrunch – Shiitake Mushroom
- Accordion – Deep Space + Magenta Galactica
- Geode – Sage Green + Seafoam
Want more inspiration? Grab my free printable guide with 12 of my favorite tie dye folds.
Or check out my Etsy shop for socks, shirts, and more — all dyed by me!
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Happy folding!
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