DIY: Tie-Dye Masks

Trend Alert! What’s the hottest accessory for the summer season? You guessed it, wearing a mask. And it’s a great opportunity to show self-expression and creativity. 

In my county, masks are required in public buildings including grocery stores, restaurants, and airports just to name a few. While I can agree they are universally uncomfortable for everyone, here are a few positive reasons to wear a mask:

• Not only will it protect you from harmful viruses, but it also acts as a disguise. Going into public places I pretend I’m a ninja on a mission to buy my groceries without running into someone I know. If only the grocery stores would allow me to repel down from the ceiling. 

• If you don’t feel like doing your makeup or maybe you have a zit you would like to cover, a mask will hide it all. 

• A mask can stifle the ability to smell someone’s bad breath. 

• Masks cut down on small talk. It’s harder to hear someone talk when their voice is muffled. I didn’t realize how much I depended on reading people’s lips to help me understand them. As a result, conversations have become shorter and to the point. 

• I don’t feel the need to smile at everyone that walks by. I’ve now adopted the head nod to acknowledge people, you gentlemen have been on to something all along.

Another trend for the summer season is tie-dying. This groovy print is everywhere and on everything. When I realized I could no longer function in society without wearing a mask; I thought why not marry the two trends and try my hand at tie-dying some masks. 

Tie-dying instructions and techniques may vary, so follow the instructions provided with your kit if you need guidance. If you read my yoga saga from last week, you may have caught on that stores are not restocking the shelves as quickly as we were once used too. Especially if what you’re looking to buy is trending in popularity, such as tie-dye kits. I was lucky to pick up one of the last remaining kits. This kit didn’t come with a wide range of color choices (pink, purple, and yellow). Fortunately, those are my favorite colors to wear. I felt like I found an elusive unicorn. 

I tried 3 different folding patterns to make my mask. First was a spiral. Using a fork, place the prong in the middle of the mask, then twist the fabric around the fork, like you would if you were eating spaghetti. Place rubber bands around the mask in an ‘X’ over the top. You’ll know you did it right if it looks like a pizza.

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The second pattern I tried was stripes. The mask can be folded vertically (hamburger) or horizontally (hotdog). First, you will need to fold the mask in an accordion, or a paper fan. Once you have the shape, place the rubber bands around the length of the folded mask. Add as many or as few rubber bands as you’d like to get the results you want. 

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Lastly, the sporadic crumpled, or cloud pattern. This is made just like the name says. Take the mask, ball in up, and place rubber bands in a random pattern. 

Pro Tip: the tighter the rubber bands are wrapped, the harder it will be for the dye to seep into the banded areas. This will make for more white (undyed) spots on the mask. 

With your masks shaped and banded it’s time for the best part, adding the color! A great thing about having limited colors is less anxiety on where to put the color or overthink the process. In hindsight, if I purchased a kit with ten colors I would probably still have white masks. Having too many options can leave me paralyzed. This is also why I don’t frequent restaurants like Mongolian Grill. My cause of death would be, “died from starvation due to overabundance of menu options.” Check, please!

I loved the final results. Each mask has a different personality. With my small kit, I was able to dye nine masks. And since the masks are 100% cotton they can easily be washed and reused. I’ve stashed a few in my car and a couple in my purse so I’m never stuck outside of a store cursing myself for forgetting a mask. 

If you need help getting started and finding the right tools, I’ve done some of the leg work for you. The links below are items similar to, or the same as what I used for this project:

Mask – HERE, HERE & HERE

Clear Container – HERE

Rubber Bands – HERE & HERE

Tie-Dye Kit – HERE (12 color kit) & HERE (5 color kit)

Not an arts-n-crafts person? Maybe you like instant gratification? Below I linked Additional tie-dye items I like. No tie-dye kits involved. 

Tie-Dye Mask – HERE, HERE & HERE

Tie-Dye Maxi Dress – HERE

Tie-Dye Short Dress – HERE

Tie-Dye Tunic/Beach Cover-up – HERE

Tie-Dyed Long Sleeve Sweatshirt – HERE

Men’s Pink Floyd Shirt – HERE

Unisex Tie-Dye T-Shirts – HERE

How do you feel about the Tie-Dye trend? Love it? Or wish it would stay in the 60s?