Follow these step-by-step instructions on how to create your own tie-dye Christmas tree. One for beginners and one that is a bit more detailed!
Making a tie-dyed Christmas tree doesn’t have to be hard. I break it down in simple instructions for you so you can be on your merry tie-dyeing way!
Table of Contents
How to Tie-Dye a Detailed Christmas Tree
Materials
- String
- Sinew (Optional for crisper lines) or rubber bands
- 100% Cotton t-shirt or fabric (I’m using tea towels here.)
- Tailor’s Chalk or washable marker
- Dye
- Soda Ash
Instructions
- Create a slip not with your string and set it aside.
- Fold your fabric in half
- Draw half a Christmas tree along the side of the fabric with the fold with the tailor’s chalk or washable marker. Option to draw half of a tree trunk at the bottom of the tree as well as a circle or star at the top. That is what you see here!
- Accordion folds the fabric following along the line of the Christmas tree. For sharper corners, have the bottom of the according pleat as you turn each corner. When you’re finished folding along this line, it should appear as a straight line.
- Accordion fold the tree trunk portion.
- Use the slip not to secure the fold and tighten.
- If you would like a crisp line around the edge of the tree, wrap the sinew around the fabric 3-4 times and tighten using a sinew puller.
- Apply the dye. I will list below what you see in the photos
- Green powder is sprinkled on the inner portion of the fold.
- Yellow is applied along the string for a border around the tree as well as on the tied portion at the top for the star.
- Brown liquid on the tree trunk.
- Red powder is sprinkled outside of the yellow line.
- Apply ice to powdered areas.
- Allow to batch for 24 hours.
- Rinse thoroughly until water runs clear with cool water then do the same with hot water.
Photo Instructions
These photo instructions may help more visual learners. Note: the numbers on these pictures do not correlate directly with the numbered instructions above. This is a more detailed look at those steps.
Tie Dye Christmas Tree
This intermediate difficulty tutorial will get you a stunning detailed tie dye Christmas tree.
Materials
- 100% Cotton t-shirt or fabric (I'm using tea towels here.)
- Dye (I used Dharma procion dyes in the colors brazil nut, oxblood red, marigold and dark green)
- Soda Ash
Tools
- Tailor's chalk
- Sinew (or rubber bands)
- Sinew puller
Instructions
- Create a slip not with your string and set it aside.
- Fold your fabric in half
- Draw half a Christmas tree along the side of the fabric with the fold with the tailor's chalk or washable marker. Option to draw half of a tree trunk at the bottom of the tree as well as a circle or star at the top. That is what you see here!
- Accordion folds the fabric following along the line of the Christmas tree. For sharper corners, have the bottom of the according pleat as you turn each corner. When you're finished folding along this line, it should appear as a straight line.
- Accordion fold the tree trunk portion.
- Use the slip not to secure the fold and tighten.
- If you would like a crisp line around the edge of the tree, wrap the sinew around the fabric 3-4 times and tighten using a sinew puller.
- Apply the dye.
- Apply ice to powdered areas.
- Allow to batch (sit) for 24 hours.
- Rinse thoroughly until water runs clear with cool water then do the same with hot water.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Easy Tie Dye Christmas Tree Pattern
Materials
- String
- Sinew (Optional for crisper lines) or Rubber bands
- 100% Cotton t-shirt or fabric (I’m using tea towels here.)
- Dye
- Soda Ash
- Tailor’s Chalk
- Yard stick
Written Instructions
- Fold the fabric in half.
- Use the tailor’s chalk to draw a diagonal line from 4-6 inches below the top of the fabric.
- Accordion fold the fabric along the drawn line.
- Secure with a rubber band or sinew.
- Sprinkle on your desired colors (I used oxblood red, Chinese red, and emerald green)
- Allow to sit for at least 24 hours.
- Rinse thoroughly until water runs clear with cool water then do the same with hot water.
Photo Instructions
More of a visual learner? I’ve got you covered with these photo instructions of the simple Christmas tree below.
Easy Tie Dye Christmas Tree
A simple way to get a tie dye christmas tree for beginners!
Materials
- 100% Cotton t-shirt or fabric (I'm using tea towels here.)
- Dye (I used Dharma procion dyes in the colors chinese red, oxblood red, emerald green and dark green)
Tools
- Tailor's chalk
- Sinew (or rubber bands)
- Sinew puller
- Yard stick
Instructions
- Fold the fabric in half.
- Use the tailor's chalk to draw a diagonal line from 4-6 inches below the top of the fabric.
- Accordion fold the fabric along the drawn line.
- Secure with a rubber band or sinew.
- Sprinkle on your desired colors (I used oxblood red, Chinese red, and emerald green)
- Allow to sit for at least 24 hours.
- Rinse thoroughly until water runs clear with cool water then do the same with hot water.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
How to Tie Dye a Christmas Tree T-Shirt
This tutorial can be utilized to tie-dye a t-shirt as well. The folds can be used on any fabric item. I love tie-dyeing towels because I can only have so many T-shirts.
Instead of just folding the shirt in half, you will flip it inside out and thread one sleeve through the other. Mr. Tie Dye on YouTube has a great tutorial showing how to do this.
Christmas Tie Dye FAQs
Typically, you want your fabric prewashed and damp when you tie-dye. However, there are exceptions to every rule! If you want a crisp white line, wet is best. If you’d like some of the color to blend, folding it dry gives a more blended look.
For me, I prefer to fold while the fabric is damp because it’s a little easier to work with. That being said, when I tie my geodes, I often fold them dry so I can have color seep into the lines.
The most important way to keep tie dye vibrant is to use quality dyes and pre-mordant your fabric (soda ash or alum bath). If your dye is not set correctly, it doesn’t matter how you wash it, it will always start to fade.
That being said, if you have set your color correctly, it will stay vibrant longer by washing it with cold water and hanging it to dry.
Synthetic fibers cannot be tie-dyed using traditional dyes such as Rit or procion dyes. However, some companies do have dye specifically for synthetic fibers.
What are synthetic fabric types? Polyester, spandex, nylon, acrylic, and more.
Cotton and silk are always your best bet with tie dye.
