I saw a picture of tie-dyed shoes and decided it would be a great project with the kids one afternoon. It was seriously the easiest tie-dye project I have ever done. The girls we did this project with were all between the ages of 5 and 7 and needed minimal (if any) help to transform their plain white shoes into personalized works of art.
Tie-Dyed Shoes
What you need:
- White canvas shoes
- A one-step tie-dye kit (available at most craft stores)
- Painter’s tape
- Gallon-size plastic zip bags
Directions:
1. Cover your work area with a disposable tablecloth and old newspapers to minimize cleanup.
2. Remove shoe laces and use painter’s tape around the white rubber edge of the sole to avoid dying this area.
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3. Add water to each plastic bottle in the tie-dye kit as instructed and shake well.
4. Tip the bottle of dye onto the area you want the color and touch it gently to the shoe. We found NO NEED to squeeze the bottle. The dye came out just by touching it to the surface of the shoe. Change up the colors, blend them, and have fun creating some unique, colorful shoes!
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5. Once finished, place the shoes into a plastic zip-top bag to avoid staining anything else while drying.
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6. After about 24 hours, remove from the bag and dry in the sunshine.
7. Remove the painter's tape and put your shoes in the washing machine with a little bit of laundry soap in warm water. Wash by themselves the first few times you launder them. Allow to air dry, and then put the laces back in and do a happy dance in your new colorful, one-of-a-kind kicks.
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Jennifer Hill is the publisher of Macaroni KID Fremont, Calif.
