Remember the tie dyed shirts and clothing of yesterday? Today, you can bring the same art to life by coloring paper. You can make tie dyed paper to use as your own wrapping paper, create unique crafts, adorn a scrap book -- only your imagination is the limit. Best of all, when you use food coloring to dye your paper, there is little fear of mess -- it cleans up easily. So get the kids involved -- or keep the fun to yourself. It's your call.
Steps:
- Clear a workspace on your kitchen counter, table or even the floor. Spread newspaper or a vinyl or plastic tablecloth to protect your work surface from staining; while food coloring washes away with water, some materials are very absorbent and thus vulnerable to stains
- Prepare a small bowl, such as a custard dish or small butter bowl, for tie dying. Pour neon green food coloring into the bowl -- the exact amount needed will depend on how much paper you are dyeing -- or mix your own by combining four parts yellow food coloring to one part green.
- Fold your paper into small shapes; you can fold several sheets together for a large, uniform batch, or fold single sheets for a variety of designs. There is no right or wrong here -- any fold will create a unique shape and design, but keep in mind you will have to be able to unfold the paper when you are done. Combinations of folds work really well; you could fold the paper like an accordion, and then fold the accordion into a triangular shape, for instance.
- Secure each folded paper with a rubber band to both hold it together and possibly even to create a variation in the design; the paper under a tightly bound rubber band will not dye. Take care to avoid ripping the paper while applying the rubber bands.
- Make a half-and-half mixture of white vinegar and water. Place mixture in either a squirt bottle or another small bowl. Dampen each folded paper by either spraying with the solution or dipping the paper into the mixture. Do not soak the paper but moisten it well; this helps set the dye, spreads it, adds to the color variations and also stretches your dye farther.
- Dip portions of the folded paper into the bowl of food coloring, holding it in the coloring for a second or two. Use your creativity again; you can dip only small parts, large parts, or even use other colors in succession. Blot with paper towels, dabbing at the paper to soak up excess coloring, to lighten where desired.
- Lay the folded, dyed sections of paper in an out-of-the-way place, allowing them to dry completely. This may take up to a day or two, depending on the thickness of the paper and the temperature and humidity inside your house. Wet paper tears easily, so make sure it is dry before proceeding.
- Take the rubber bands off the paper and unfold carefully. Iron the paper on low setting if desired to obtain a flat, crinkle-free paper.
