Tie Dye Pumpkin Shirt

8 Materials
$5
1 Day
Easy

Learn how to make a tie dye pumpkin design on a shirt. Celebrate fall or Halloween with this unique pumpkin tie dye design.


I wanted to try to make some Halloween tie dye shirts. So of course I had to start with a tie dye pumpkin. I’ll admit, this was my second try, but I’m quite pleased with how it came out and am excited to share how to make one yourself.

Fold the shirt in half and draw half of a pumpkin and stem using orange and green washable markers. You can also use this downloadable template to make the pumpkin tie dye design. Simply print it out, cut it, and trace around it.

Sew along each line you drew in the body of the pumpkin. I recommend using orange thread for the body of the pumpkin and green thread for the stem.

Wet the shirt and squeeze out the excess water.

Pull the ends of each thread to scrunch up and fold the fabric. Then tie them off to secure it.

My green thread happened to break so you can either use the same thread pulling method or do what I did and fold the stem along the green line you drew and use a clamp to secure it.

Scrunch the rest of the shirt and secure it with rubber bands or zip ties.

Then mix together 1 cup of soda ash with one gallon water and let the shirt soak in it for at least 20 minutes.

Squeeze out the excess water.

Then add orange dye to the pumpkin section.

Next add green dye to the sectioned off stem.

Add black dye to the rest of the shirt.

Wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it to set for at least 6 hours. I prefer to leave my tie dye for 24 hours.

Rinse it off until the water runs clear. Then throw it in the washing machine and dryer.

Your pumpkin shirt is now ready to wear!


Ingredients

  • 1 White Cotton Shirt
  • Washable Markers Orange and Green
  • 1 Needle and Thread
  • Rubber Bands or Zip Ties
  • 1 Small Clamp or Clothespin
  • 1 Tie Dye Kit or Tie-Dye Dye and Soda Ash
  • Water
  • 1 pair Rubber Gloves
  • Plastic Wrap
  • Paper Towels
Instructions

Fold the shirt in half and draw half of a pumpkin outline using a washable marker.1 White Cotton Shirt, Washable Markers
If you want the pumpkin to have extra details, draw lines connecting the top and bottom.
Use a green washable marker to draw half of a stem at the top.
Use a needle and thread to do a basic running stitch around the outside of the pumpkin.1 Needle and Thread
Sew along each line you drew in the body of the pumpkin.
Soak the shirt in water and squeeze out the excess.Then start with the middle stripes of the pumpkin and gently pull on the thread. This will create folds in the shirt.Water
Tie it off using the ends of the yarn.Repeat the process for the other stripe and the outline of the pumpkin.
Fan fold along the stem line and place the clamp along the line.1 Small Clamp or Clothespin
Crumple, twist, or scrunch the rest of the shirt however you'd like.
Secure it with rubber bands or zip tiesRubber Bands or Zip Ties
Soak it in a soda ash mixture for at least 20 minutes.The ratio should be 1 cup soda ash to 1 gallon of water.
Put on gloves and prepare the dyes according to the instructions. Mix the yellow and red to make orange. Mix yellow and blue to make green.Cover your area with plastic wrap and add the orange dye to the pumpkin section.1 Tie Dye Kit or Tie-Dye Dye and Soda Ash, Plastic Wrap, 1 pair Rubber Gloves
Add green dye to the stem.
Add black to the rest of the shirt. Be careful to not get black on the orange or green parts. Use a paper towel to wipe up the black dye.Paper Towels
Wrap it all up in plastic wrap and let it set for at least 6 hours, but I recommend a full 24 hours.
Rinse it in the sink until the water runs clear. Then wash it in the washing machine with other tie dye clothes. Run it through the dryer and your tie dye pumpkin shirt is ready to wear!
Suggested materials:
  • White Cotton Shirt
  • Washable Markers
  • Needle and Thread
See all materials

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AB Crafty
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 3 comments
  • Leslie Leslie on Oct 19, 2021

    I have never seen this way of tie dying done. It can be said that it is almost like batiking. Your shirt is lovely and done well. Do you think you could have blocked off areas to make a face? Thank you for sharing your project.

    • See 1 previous
    • Leslie Leslie on Oct 20, 2021

      👍️

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