Whether you're camping, vacationing, or just want to store your stuff, this colorful "stuff sack" will be incredibly useful. Not only will it hold your belongings, but creating it is a great way to express yourself through art.
Steps
- Purchase a white laundry sack that is large enough to hold two rolled up sleeping bags. For the tie dye to work, this sack should be 100% cotton. This will be your stuff sack. It looks pretty boring now, but just wait!
- Cover a large table with newspaper. This is where you will tie dye your stuff sack. Fill squirt bottles with the colors of dye you wish to use and make sure plenty of rubber bands are available.
- Put on some latex gloves and fill a bucket with dipping solution. Pick up the sack and dunk it in the bucket. Wring it out a few times until it is mostly dry. Then, lay it out on the table.
- Section the sack by wrapping rubber bands around it. You can roll it up and place several rubber bands along it, almost like stripes on a caterpillar. This will create colorful stripes. You can also twist it up from the middle and wrap rubber bands around the twisted wad, or you can invent your own design. Make sure the rubber bands are good and tight.
- Squirt dye onto the sack, using a different color for each section. Keep in mind that you don't need to cover the whole section with solid color. In fact, the blotchier, the better.
- Allow the sack to dry overnight with the rubber bands on. Once it is dry, wash it in the washing machine by itself to ensure that the dye is more or less permanent. Make sure the sack is thoroughly dry before you continue.
- Cut two slits at the top of the sack, where the sack opens. The slits should be about 3/4 inch tall.
- Thread thick yarn or thin rope through a safety pin or paper clip and tie. This is your "threading needle".
- Insert the "threading needle" into one of the slits and work it around with your fingers. Make sure the thread doesn't come untied!
- When the rope comes out the other slit, remove the "needle" and tie the two loose ends together with a square knot. Voila! Your sack has a drawstring!
- Spread the sack out on a table and lay flat newspaper inside it. When you use permanent markers, this will prevent the ink from leaking through.
- Using permanent markers, write and draw on the sack to your heart's content.
Things You'll Need
- Laundry sack
- Several feet of thin rope or thick yarn
- Paper clip or safety pin
- Permanent markers
- Old newspaper
- Scissors
- For the Tie Dye Process:
- Several tie dye colors in squirt bottles
- Rubber bands
- Latex gloves
- Something to protect your clothes
- Dipping solution (usually comes with tie dye kit)
- Washing machine
- Plastic bag
