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Activities / Bandhani / Bandhani Tie-Dye

Bandhani Tie-Dye

Bandhani Tie-Dye: Tied Dots and a Dye Bath on Cotton

Level
Intermediate
Duration
3 - 6 hours (including drying)
Budget
₹300 – ₹1,000
Age
14+
State
Gujarat

Materials

  • White cotton square, about 45 cm
  • Cold-water dye for cotton with fixer (soda ash)
  • Water-erasable fabric marker
  • Strong cotton thread
  • Bucket or tray, and a spoon
  • Rubber gloves, apron and dust mask
  • Plastic sheet or bin bags to cover the table
  • Small scissors and a ruler

Steps

  1. Wash, dry and iron the white cotton square to remove starch
    Wash the 45 cm (18 in) white cotton square in warm water with a little soap, rinse it and let it dry. Iron it flat on the cotton setting. New cloth has starch or a finish that blocks dye and leaves white patches that are not part of your pattern. Common mistake: dyeing straight from the shop, which gives uneven colour.
  2. Mark a grid of 25 dots, 5 rows of 5, each 6 cm apart
    Lay the cloth flat. With a ruler and a water-erasable fabric marker, mark 25 small dots in 5 rows of 5, each dot 6 cm (2.4 in) from the next, with the grid centred on the cloth. Bandhani is a pattern of dots, and an even grid makes the final cloth look neat. Press lightly so the marks wash out. Common mistake: dots less than 5 cm apart, which makes the ties crowd each other.
    Tip: Mark the middle row first, then the rows above and below it.
  3. Pinch the cloth at one dot into a peak about 1.5 cm tall
    Pinch the cloth right on a dot between your thumb and two fingers and pull it up into a small peak about 1.5 cm (0.6 in) tall. Twist the base a little so the fabric gathers snugly. Hold it firmly, because your other hand will do the wrapping. A neat narrow peak gives a small round white dot, and a wide floppy peak gives a messy blur.
  4. Wrap strong thread around each peak 6 times and knot it
    Cut 50 cm of strong cotton thread. Wrap it 6 times tightly around the base of the peak, pulling hard on every turn, then knot twice and cut the ends short. Do all 25 dots, which takes about 45 minutes. Tug each peak gently: if the thread slides, wrap it again. Dye cannot get in under a tight wrap, which is how the white dots form.
    Tip: Tie the peaks in rows from the top to the bottom so you can see which ones are done.
  5. Set up a covered table and mix the dye with an adult
    Cover the table with a plastic sheet or bin bags and set out a bucket or tray. Put on rubber gloves, an apron and a dust mask, because dye powder should not be breathed in and stains skin for days. Mix the dye exactly as the pack says. A typical powder mix is 1 tablespoon of dye in 1 litre (4 cups) of warm water with 1/2 cup of salt, then 1 tablespoon of soda ash stirred in just before dyeing. A one-step kit is mixed by filling the bottle with water to the line and shaking it.
  6. Wet the tied cloth in plain water, then dye it
    Wet the tied cloth in plain water and squeeze out the drips. Lower it into the dye bucket and press it under with a gloved hand, or lay it in a tray and pour the dye over it, pressing so the dye soaks into every fold. Stir or turn it gently every 15 minutes. Common mistake: letting part of the cloth float above the dye, which leaves pale patches.
  7. Leave it for the time on the pack, then rinse with cool water
    Powder dyes with soda ash need 1 to 4 hours, and a one-step kit needs 6 to 8 hours, so follow the pack. Wear gloves, then rinse the cloth under cool running water with the ties still on, squeezing gently until the water runs almost clear. Do not wring it hard. Longer soaking gives a deeper colour, and a short soak gives a pastel.
  8. Snip the threads one by one to reveal the white dots
    Slide the tip of small scissors under one thread, with the blade pointing away from the cloth, and snip, then unwind it and pull the peak open. Do this for all 25 dots, cutting only thread and never cloth. You should see a grid of white rings on a rich colour. If a dot is dyed through, the thread was too loose, so tie tighter next time.
    Tip: Lift each thread with a pin first so the scissors do not touch the fabric.
  9. Wash it separately, dry it in the shade and press it
    Wash the cloth by itself in cold water with mild soap until no colour runs out, then dry it in the shade. Direct sun fades fresh dye. When dry, iron it on the cotton setting. Wash it separately for the first 3 washes. The finished bandhani square can be used as a scarf, a table square or a wall hanging.

Sustainability

Medium - reuses cotton and thread; chemical dye waste should not go into natural water bodies, so dispose of it according to the dye instructions

Safety

Wear rubber gloves and an apron because dyes stain skin for days; soda ash is caustic, so avoid eye contact; dye powder should not be inhaled, so work with a mask and keep it away from food and children