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Last night we finished up the second project of the weekend: tie-dying underwear. You may think this is odd. And, yes, it probably is. For a white elephant gift last last Christmas, Bill got a tie-dying kit and it's been sitting in the closet for a year. Because, really, once you hit a certain age and/or professional status, it just really isn't cool to wear tie-dyed t-shirts everyday. Maybe one for mowing the lawn or as pajamas, but you can't wear it to work or school. So, what to do? Underwear just seems to follow logically.
On Sunday afternoon we popped the included DVD into the TV and watched a nice long-haired lady with little round glasses and a certain "life is cool" aura demonstrate how to make the different patterns: random, bull's eye, stripes, mirror image, spiral. We donned our latex gloves and got going.
Step 1: Shape your items as instructed for different patterns and stabilize with rubber bands. Let them soak in a warm soda ash-water solution for half an hour.
Step 2: Make a mess in the kitchen by poking the dye bottles into the crevices of your wet bundles, letting your imagination flow.
Step 3: Wrap each item in plastic and let them stew for 12 to 24 hours. Feel the tension and excitement grow.
Step 4: Rinse the bright balls and coils in warm-hot water until the water rinses clean. Put them in the washer with liquid soap and let the machine do its magic. Then put the won't-ever-run-again items in the dryer and let that machine do its magic too.
Step 5: Remove your clothes from the dryer and marvel at your new, exciting, unbelievingly chipper under-wardrobe! And refrain from winking at people in the office just because you have a naughty little secret of nether grooviness; they probably won't understand.
The whole procedure was super fun and super easy. And I do sort of have a bit of a smile on my face today. I would definitely repeat it. I may never have untie-dyed underwear again!
