Tie-dyed, Bell Bottoms and Lava Lamps; The Sixties are Back

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Apr 25, 2001

Everywhere you look, they're there! Tie-dyed t-shirts, bell-bottom pants, midriffs and haulters. Yes, we're recycling the sixties and putting a 21st century spin on it.

I went to the mall last weekend and thought I had walked right back into the sixties. All of the trendy teen shops were filled with tie-dye t-shirts, and skirts. There were bell-bottomed pants, now called flair bottoms. In one of the kiaskes I saw loads of "love beads". They're not called that any more, but they are the same exact things I had when I was a kid.

Accessories are going back to the future as well. Crochet purses, Macramé bracelets and necklaces, and beaded necklaces are gracing the shelves, just like way back when. Another cool item that is back in style are specialty sew-on patches. Now I can wear that old denim jacket again, and not feel out of date.

With all of these new old things being so popular, I dragged out my teenage notebook for some old how tos. They're all pretty easy to make. Here are some of my simple favorites. Hey, you don't have to be a teen to enjoy making these treasures.

Tie-dying

You don't really need too much to get started on this one.

You'll Need:

A white T-shirt Several rubber bands or heavy cord
Fabric dye, such as RIT Dye, on to three colors
A sink or washing machine
A wooden dowel, for stirring dye bath
Rubber or Latex gloves
A drying rack, cloths line, or cloths dryer

First prepare your shirt. Wet it in warm water and wring until just damp. Place the shirt on a table or counter. For a traditional tie-dye affect set up the shirt this way. Take the center of the shirt in your hand, making sure you have both the front and the back layers. At about 2 inches wind the rubber band or cord as tight as possible. keep doing that step every few inches until the entire shirt is tied.

Prepare dye bath according to the directions on the package. NOTE, if you are using more that one color, start with the lightest color.

Place the tied shirt into the dye bath. Stirring occasionally, with dowel, until desired color is achieved. Remove the tied shirt from the bath and rinse, still tied, until the water runs clear. If you are using several colors repeat with the next color adding more bands or cord. If you are only using one color, wring out the rinsed shirt. Remove the rubber bands/cords and dry on the line, on a rack or in the dryer.

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