Tie-Dye Toiletry Bag

Make your own fabulous fabric bags with tie-dye or ombre colour effects. They are creative and practical as a handmade gifts.

Skill Level

Beginner

Time to Make

1 hour

Tie-Dye Toiletry Bag
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Top Tip

When fabric has been tightly pleated, there may be white areas in the middle where the dye hasn’t reached. White areas can be coloured in by squeezing a small amount of dye from the bottle while the fabric is still damp, or leave this effect as part of the design.

How to Make

Tie-Dye Toiletry Bag
Tie-Dye Toiletry Bag
Tie-Dye Toiletry Bag
    Before you start:
  1. Rinse the bag by hand then squeeze out most of the water until it is damp. Place the polythene sheet from the kit over your work surface. Place the bag on top with the zip closed then pull out any creases or wrinkles.
  2. To fold and tie a bag:
  3. For vertical lines or colour: Fold up the bottom edge on the bag by 3cm. Turn the bag over then make another 3cm fold. Turn the bag back over and repeat with 2 more folds to make a concertina. Tightly wrap 5 or 6 elastic bands around the pleated bag. Each elastic band needs to be wrapped 4 or 5 times around the fabric. For a diagonal effect: Fold the bag diagonally starting from a bottom corner, turning it over with each pleat. Add elastic bands around the folded fabric.
  4. To dye the bag:
  5. Wear the disposable gloves in the kit then follow the instructions for adding water to the dye bottle and applying it onto the fabric. Squeeze the dye over the bag. Press and roll the bag to make sure the dye covers the fabric. Leave the bag to dry for 6-8 hours hanging over a bowl with newspaper or paper towel underneath. Remove all the elastic bands (with gloves on) then open out the bag. If it still feels very wet, remove any excess dye with paper towel or leave it to dry for a bit longer. Rinse the bag in water to remove any excess dye then leave it to fully dry. Cover it with a pressing cloth before ironing out the creases.