Upcycled Bleach Tie Dye Turban (that's a mouthfull!)

 photo courtey of: helpmystyle.ie

photo courtesy of: honeymag.com

I am seeing turbans everywhere in magazines and fashion websites. I think that they are so cute and stylish! I came across this video on Burdastyle.com and it got my DIY turban fire burning!

 After doing some looking around, there are so many different types of ways to DIY (Do It Yourself) a turban. I am focusing more on a headband turban. My dreads are in an in-between stage right now, and I am always looking for a variety of headbands to pull them back. I decided to use an upcycled t-shirt turban tutorial.

Image source: GetCraftee.com

But First....

The tutorial calls for any type of stretchy fabric, but the Burdastyle video upcycles a black t-shirt. I am queen of old tees, but really didn't want a plain black turban. I decided to bleach tie dye the black t-shirts instead to give them a different look! If you don't know how to bleach tie dye, it's super simple.

All you need is:

-Any dark fabric (preferably cotton)

-Bleach

-Water

-Bucket or big bowl

-Old clothes (for you to wear in case there is any splashing)

-Rubber Bands or string

When you have chosen your fabric, you can either twist rubber bands or tie string to get the desired effect after bleaching. With my t-shirts, I did the accordion fold on one and just balled the other up and put rubber bands around it.

Then I took a big mixing bowl and put it in my bathtub (for less chance of bleaching anything I don't want bleached). I set the t-shirts in the bowl and poured the bleach over the top and then flipped them over and did the other side. I then added cold water* to the bowl and poured the rest of the bleach in the water.

*You can put any amount of water to bleach that you like, or no water at all, depending on the sturdyness of your fabric.

I left the t-shirts in for about 15 minutes,but you can leave them in any amount of time. The longer you leave them in, the more the fabric will get bleached out. I dumped out the bleach water mix and rinsed both t-shirts really well with cold water. This is what they looked like after.

I cut the rubber bands off and washed and dried them. They turned out really cool!

Accordion technique

Balled up technique

Now I am ready to begin my turban headband!

First, You will need:

Stretchy fabric

Ruler

Scissors

Marking Chalk/Pencil/Pen

Pins

Sewing machine or ability to hand sew (which also calls for needle and thread)

Begin by cutting two strips 8" wide and 24" long. With my t-shirts, one was bigger and one was smaller. I had to go with the bigger one to get the right measurements. No need to worry about cutting super straight You won't see the finished cutting at the end. When I cut my t-shirt, the logo was on one of the strips, but no worries, you won't even see it when it is finished.

Sew the strips together by folding them in half lengthwise, pinning and sewing up the side.

Turn them inside out (this will be the sides that will show on your finished project)

Take the finished strips and fold them over each other making a cross.

Next, take the horizontal strip and fold across the top strip so the ends of the horizontal strips are together, pin.

Do the same to the vertical strip connecting it's ends and pinning.

Sew the ends with pins together. Should look like this after sewing.

Take the two ends you have just sewn, pin together, and sew.

You are now DONE!

Check out the finished project!

Click on the pictures below to go to the websites named and try some other fun ways to make a turban or create a no sew version.

  Despising life is so passe'

Twitch Vintage

 Julia's Poppies Design

Tie Dye and Time

I love getting snail mail! It's so much more fun to get a letter or package in the mail, whether you are expecting it or not. I purchased a head wrap on Etsy.com from Scarlette Rose Fairy.  It was my first package from Australia! It was so beautifully packaged that it made my day.

The little <3's are so cute!

*pretty package*

Comfy, Cozy Dreadsters

Real, true mail sent to a person for no reason is rare these days. That is why I am going to revive this and just start sending out cards, packages, gifts, etc. to those that I love.

Who will you send something to?

I also revived some boring, white baby onesies.

I had some left over dye and decided to tie dye them for my niece who I will be meeting for the first time in two weeks when we go and visit family in Arizona.

Here's how it went:

Two projects I started. (the one on the left will be for another post.)

I used the Tulip brand tie dye kit. You can purchase these in different colors at any craft store. As I said, I was using left over dye from another project, so the only colors I had were green, purple, and pink. I put the powdered dye into the bottles, filled with warm water, shook, and I was ready to dye!

I began by laying a screen (or something that the dye can pass thru easily) over the sink. I then sprayed each side of the fabric with a water bottle to get it damp. Just wet enough to twist and fold easier.

Back in the day, I used to cramp up my hands by twisting little sections and rubber banding the heck out of the fabric. I learned an easier way by just twisting, turning, or folding the damp fabric and securing with just a few rubber bands. Much easier on the hands and less time consuming!

*sorry about the lighting, using a cheaper camera until my better one gets fixed*

I then took the dye and squirted it where I wanted the color(s) to be.

After each one was finished, I put it into a plastic bag to sit over night. Make sure each one is separate unless you don't mind if the colors bleed into each other.

I made 12 all together!

I let them sit overnight. 8 hrs is ideal.

In the morning (and better lighting) I removed them from their bags and ran hot water over them before taking the rubber bands off, and also after removing the rubber bands. Just long enough so the water running into the sink is pretty much clear.

After rinsing.

I then washed them on the hot cycle, dried them on low and they are done!

I may add a few cute things here and there to them, but I think they look pretty good on their own!

I am queen of multitasking, so as I was doing this project I was watching

The Time Traveler's Wife for the first time.

Now, this is one of my favorite books!! I have read it three times. So, I know this isn't a new movie, but I was hesitant to watch it since 9 times out of 10 I like the book way more than the movie.

But...I really, really liked this movie! I felt the characters looked similar to how I pictured them in my head : )And the way they showed the time travels and the emotions involved with them were right on!

Yet, it kinda makes me want to read the book again :).

I still haven't read Unconditional Parenting. *whoops* Maybe I should actually read  a book before mentioning it on my blog. But I always have good intentions of reading a book and then never get to it. *maybe because I am on the Internet too much and/or have two small boys* When I do get to it, you will be the first to know.

Although, I did start reading a book called The Why? Cafe. I started reading this one because it was also on The Organic Sisters book store and it seems like a short read. Plus, it has sold over a million copies. I am only a chapter into it, but it has caught my attention.

 Where I am now in the book, a man got lost while driving on far back roads and ends up at a diner in the middle of nowhere. On the back of the menu there are three questions;

 "Why are you here? Do you fear death? Are you fulfilled?"

Ok. If there is anyone out there who hasn't thought about these questions at least once in their lives, then maybe you should pick this book up.

Like I said, I haven't finished the book (yet), but it really does make me think about who I am so far.

Maybe I am just at a point in my life where these thoughts have come about at the right time or they have been pushed on me due to the situations I have gone thru in the past year. But, don't you just ever feel like you are at a turning point? Or that you feel something will change, or needs to be changed? But just don't know what it is? Or how to do it?

I am definitely there. These are questions I ask myself a lot lately:

"Who am I? What do I stand for? What do I believe in? What will I put up with? Where am I going with my life? Where will I be in ten years? What do I have to do now to be where I feel I should be in the future? Not just physically-but emotionally, spiritually?"

Now I do not in the least have all the answers to these questions. But I do feel like I am willing to do the work to find the answers.

I am not very big on sharing my emotions with just everyone. Oddly, I am doing it on a blog for all to read. But maybe I am supposed to be doing this. Maybe this is to help me get those thoughts I cannot put into spoken words, out for others to relate to. Self healing, maybe? Connections to others? Probably.

 Maybe feeling alone, reaching for someone else to feel the same as me? For sure.

Whatever the reasons for anything I do right now, and even though I may not be as happy as I was or will be, I do feel like I am at a turning point. And should be here.

Yes I may be a little lost, or feel as though I am in the middle of something unknown. But I am comfortable here for now. Because I know that it can't stay this way forever. Sooner or later I have to turn and go one way. Whether I am pushed, or if I choose to put one foot in front of the other, and just be who I am supposed to be. It will happen.

I will end with some things that have caught my attention:

• I <3 PBS! And this show was actually really good!
• I get so many ideas (and have done so many projects) from here
• Thinking of getting one of these for my coupons
• If you have EVER went rollerskating when you were younger, you need to watch this!
• Heard this on the radio the other day and thought of my mom listening to this CD over and over