This post is brought to you by Tulip.
Are you ready to ? Summer is full of fun and trips and activities. Trips and activities that require a tote bag. So let’s make one!
I picked up a plain canvas tote from the craft store. I also picked up a bottle of gel glue to create a fun design. Gel glue acts as a resist when dying fabrics. You can use the gel to write words, draw pictures or make designs. Just make sure you place a barrier between the fabric layers. I placed a plastic bag in each pocket and inside of the bag to keep the glue from seeping through. Since this was my first time trying the gel glue resist technique I kept it simple and tried to create bubbles.
Helpful tip: do not apply the glue thickly. Less is more. My bubbles dripped in a few places. Luckily it worked well enough with my design. Anything more intricate and you could have a mess!
Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye makes this process easy. The challenge is really with the fabric. Canvas will take dye but it wants to bead up and sit on top rather than soaking in. I squeezed on the dye, then used a foam brush to work it into the tote. I did a modified ombre technique, using blue, green and turquoise dye in rows from bottom to top. They bled into each other a bit. My goal was a hopefully bubbly/ocean feel.
It may look like a mess, but clean up is a snap. Just rinse out the bottles and they’re ready to refill with replacement dye packets! Just make sure you cover your surface with plastic (trash or shopping bags work well) and wear gloves. I’m saying this as someone currently typing with Smurf hands. My fault-gloves come in the package. I knew better…
I washed the bag in the sink, then twice through the washing machine to remove all of the glue and dye. Now all I need is the beach!
Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye is America’s Favorite Tie Dye! It’s perfect for multi-color projects, group activities and family fun. The easy to use bottles mean you just add water for beautiful bold color! Dyes are permanent and color-fast. That means no fade when you need to wash them.
Stay in touch with iLoveToCreate on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!