The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Waiting for ice to melt, waiting for a new shipment of dyes, waiting for dyed garments to batch, waiting for water to boil, waiting for the wash cycle, waiting for an order to arrive to your customer... So. Much. Waiting. Tie dyeing has been an extreme test of my patience that, I have to admit, I was not always the best at. I remember, in the early days of my tie dyeing adventure, I would stare at a garment I had just put dye on and think, "do I really need to wait 24-48 hours to wash this out?" All that hard work and I wanted to see the results! Time and time again I would wash the garment out early, the colors would fade or not be saturated through all layers of material. I would metaphorically kick myself because I knew better! Even now, after all the work is said and done, that gorgeous little bundle of wrapped up fabric calls to me, "open me Amy! It'll be fine!" No. It is always better to wait it out! After years of experience, I know this now. Yes, there are tips and tricks to speed up batch times, but in my experience it is just best to let the garment do its thing over the course of 2 days. The same approach works for nearly every time-consuming aspect of tie dye. If you rush any one part of the process, it will show in the final product. I take care to slowly and meticulously place dye, to wait patiently for ice to melt, to allow the item to batch appropriately, and to thoroughly complete the washout process. These things are in my control and so I have mastered them. It still pains me to stare at that colorful little bundle and wonder what's inside, but I know if I wait I will be rewarded with even greater joy on reveal day.