Tye Dye Tutorial

I have never done a tutorial before, and I may never do one again, but these curtains turned out so darn cute I decided to share. It all started with the idea to update my kids bathroom (I'm nesting people, everything needs to be updated when you are nesting, OK). So I purchased a new shower curtain, and I didn't know what to do with the old curtain. I decided to try to tye dye the shower curtain and then turn it into two window panels for Mandie's room. She got new peace sign / tye dye bedding for Christmas, and her old curtains didn't fit her room anymore. So here's what happened:

First of all I took the shower curtain down and washed it in the washer. Then I began the very very long and tedious process of rubber-banding the thing while it was still wet. I put three rubberbands on each section of shower curtain. You can see how it turned out below:

Then I began the less tedious process of putting on the dye. The dye was purchased with a 50% off coupon at Michael's, this entire project cost me about $5. A different color of dye went between every rubber band. I did the best I could not to mix colors . . . if you mix colors they turn like a purple brown. I used every color in the kit except green.

Then I wrapped the curtain in plastic to let the dye soak in over night:

The next morning I took the whole thing and put it in the sink. Mandie helped me to rinse the curtain until the water ran clear, and we also took off all of the rubber bands. I think there were approximately 6,327 rubber bands . . . just a guess.

Then we put the curtain back in the washer and washed in cold water with a little detergent:

Then we dried it in the dryer, and it came out looking like this: (pretty cool, huh?)

Then I cut it in half and sewed up the sides to make two panels:

Then I painted up these babies. I have had these for about 7 years . . . never used them. I think they turned out pretty cool!

I hung the shower curtain on purple ribbon using the holes that were already in the curtain. I am just now realizing I do not actually have a picture of the curtains on Mandie's window. How rediculious! I'll have to take one and add it later.