Materials Needed for Tie-Dye Striped Curtains:
- A pair of cotton, plain white or light color curtains
- OR two white or light color flat sheets
- Fabric dye in your choice of colors
- A large tub or bucket
- Rubber bands
Sewing or Preparing the Curtains for Tie-Dying
If you purchase pre-made curtains, you should prewash them before starting the tie-dye process. If you cannot find plain, flat curtains, you can easily make some out of flat bed sheets.
Flat bed sheets usually come with a pocket at one end. This pocket can be used to slide the curtain rod into. If the bed sheets are the wrong size for your windows, simply cut them into the correct dimensions and hem all the edges neatly. You can do this by hand or with a sewing machine.
How to Tie-Dye the Curtains with Stripes
The first step in tie-dying the curtains is to create the stripe areas where the dye will not go. This is done by bundling the curtain fabric from the top down in one long rope. You can also roll the curtain fabric up in a tight tube.
Starting at the middle, use the rubber bands to wrap tightly around the curtain. Wrap multiple rubber bands in each spot. The places where the rubber bands are wrapped are where the dye will not saturate the fabric. You can put the rubber bands as close together as you want the stripes on the curtains to be.
After the rubber bands are tightly in place, you must prepare the dye. Following the manufacturers instructions, make the tie-dye color in a bucket or tub. Then, drop the curtain into the bucket and let it sit for a while. The longer the curtain remains in the bucket, the brighter or darker the tie-dye color will be.
After taking the curtain out of the bucket, rinse it in cold water. You can further set the dye by adding a small amount of white vinegar to the rinse water. After all excess dye is rinses away, unwrap or cut the rubber bands. Hang the curtains up to dry and then put them in your windows.
Making fun and funky tie-dye striped curtains is a great home decor craft. They can be made in any color combination to match the style of your room. Tie-dye striped curtains will add a touch of whimsy to your home.
