This post is sponsored and written by me on behalf of Tulip Tie-Dye. I love my job! It’s always fun and sometimes it’s waaayy fun, especially when projects I need, align perfectly with projects I need to do:) My daughters will be here soon for a summer vacation of beach time, fun and a little Mom time too. They’re bringing a friend who I’ve watched grow up along side of my girls for years. I wanted to have a special welcome to the beach gift ready for their arrival. Something personal that they can keep to commemorate this special girl time together. I used the tie dye paint technique to create personalized tie dye mermaid beach towels as a welcome home gift for all my girls.
My tie dye mermaid beach towels were easy to make, so much fun and clean up was a breeze.
The colors are vibrant, and match the popular colors of the season.
It’s far too brutal outside in our FL heat and humidity to work on any project this time of the year. I covered my kitchen table with plastic and completed the entire project indoors. Each of the colors are pre mixed in their own squirt bottle. I just added water. There was no mess; it was an easy clean up. If I were doing this project with a group or with kids, I’d definitely recommend moving it outside!
To make tie dye mermaid beach towels, you’ll need:
- Tulip Tie-Dye Kit
- white beach towels
- paint brushes – I found used a large lettering paintbrush
- sharpie or other permanent marker
- pattern or design to trace onto the towel
- paper towels
- jar of water to rinse your paint brush
- plastic to cover a table
- painters tape to tape down the plastic
Cover a work area or table in plastic. I made a pattern of large mermaid on brown craft paper. You’ll save time by folding the paper in half, drawing one side, cut your pattern out and unfold. Trace the pattern onto a white pre-washed beach towel with a Sharpie.
Next, fill in any details you’ll want on the inside of your mermaid.
Prepare the Tulip Tye-Die according to the directions. Begin painting with the lightest colors first, I stared with the hair, added the starfish and moved on to the tail for each of my mermaid tie dye beach towels.
Try not to over fill the paintbrush to prevent drips. Pounce the color onto your tie dye mermaid beach towel to add a scaled appearance to her tail. Finish the mermaid by outlining her in purple and filling in a few scales and details for her hair.
See how much dye I have left over in the photo below? That was after I made 3 mermaids!
Each towel took about 20 minutes. I finished them all with blue bubbles in varying shapes around the mermaid and wrote each girls name on her towel.
I wanted to keep the intense colors so I let the towels dry overnight, rinsed with clean water in the morning and then ran them through a cycle in the washing machine with a little soap. That’s it.
You know how there’s a to do list a mile long before company arrives…
Funny thing is, as busy as I was, I kept eyeing the leftover dye in the bottles. I just couldn’t let it go to waste! That would have been like throwing fun away. So I quickly had some good old fashioned, tie dye fun with rubber bands and some big white t-shirts. There’s a pamphlet in the tie dye package with instructions for several tie dye techniques. I tried a few that looked like fun. I put each shirt in a plastic bag and squirted the dye onto them. Zero mess! I followed the directions and let them sit in the plastic bags until I was ready to wash them.
Now the girls will have matching tie dye shirts too! I’m sure they’ll have fun hanging out in them together after a good day at the beach.
As you might have guessed this is a sponsored post, I was provided product and, or compensated for sharing this information. All opinions, craftiness, and projects are 100% my own and never for sale. I’ll only share items I think have value for my readers.
Crystal says
Wow, I bet the girls loved their towels! I really like how the mermaids came out, I can not draw anything! Thanks for linking up to #HomeMattersParty hope to see you back soon.
Wendi says
Hi Crystal, They were very surprised and the mermaid theme was perfect for a girls trip:) Thanks so much for your visit!
Kim~madeinaday says
Great idea to keep the kids busy this summer! Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday! Sharing on G+! Have a great week!
Kim
Wendi says
Thanks so much Kim! Yes, this would make a fabulous kids activity and it’s unique too:) Thanks so much for your visit!
Helen Fern says
What a fun project – I’d love a towel like that! Would love to have you share on the Pleasures of the NW’s DIY Party!
pleasuresofthenw.com/diy-party-no-9-lets-rock-that-craft-night/
Wendi says
Hi Helen and thank you so much! The towels were a lot of fun to make and the girls were surprised and loved them. I’ll do my best to stop by! Thanks so much for your visit:)
Joy says
I am a newbie crafter and very inexperienced. Can you do this method on clothes?
Wendi says
Hi Joy… Yes you can do this on clothes the same way I did with this project. Just be sure to use a cotton material and follow the same directions. Thanks so much for your visit!
Marie says
What a fantastic idea! I’ve never seen tie-dye used this way (only seen the swirly designs)! You’ve just expanded my crafting horizons! Thanks!
Wendi says
That’s awesome Marie:) I had no idea you could use Tie Dye to paint either, until I made this project. The best part is that it wasn’t messy like the old tie dye products. The possibilities are endless, and I’m sure you’ll come up with even more creative projects. Thanks so much for stopping by & leaving a sweet comment!
Lou Lou Girls says
Super cute! This looks so good. Pinned and tweeted. Thank you for bringing this to our party and we hope to see you on Monday at 7 pm. Lou Lou Girls
Wendi says
Thank you so much for the feature! I loved making these chairs and it’s so much fun when others love my projects as much as I do!
TwoPlusCute says
How special and definitely unique to make personalized beach towels. Love it. 😀
Wendi says
This would be an easy way to make something special for your little Cute! Thanks so much for the visit!
Elizabeth Walker says
Hi Wendi – You are so creative! Love your tie-dye beach towels. Your girls will love them. What a great coming to the beach vacation gift! They will carry the happy memories you girls create together,on and on. May all four of you girls have a wonderful visit. Liz
Wendi says
Hi Liz! ….and thank you so very much for the sweet wishes:) I cherish every moment I have with my girls, it’s never enough. So glad you like this project. It was fun to do. I can think of so many different ways of using tie dye to Paint summer items! I hope you try this too!
Marie@The Interior Frugalista says
Oh my gosh does this post bring back memories of my tween years making tie dye everything in the backyard. Tie Dye has come a long way since those days in the…ahem…’70’s. How fun are those towels that I’m sure your daughters and friend will love!
Wendi says
Thanks so much my friend! You could make something spectacular With your creativity and tie dye painting! I remembered the old versiona of tie dying too and it was soo messy! This was easy. The girls loved them! Take care & have a good summer!