community of dyers

For the parties I have done, I have used the .97 cent plastic tablecloths from walmart and had the kids tie up their item on that on the table. Once they tied, I have a stack of newspaper next to each table and each kid takes a bit to soak up any excess dye.
It worked great and usually you can pick up newspaper from the recycle bins. It is a breeze to clean up cuz you just fold up the tablecloth and all the newspaper and toss it!
Hope this helps!
Have fun!

Its a colorful life!

I did up to 20 people at a time (and I did a group of 80 kids this past summer in two shifts, its totally insane but completely doable). I had two people to every station and made everyone responsible for their stations for cleanup in the end (this was in a camp).

I wouldn't give too many options for different folds. keep it nice and simple especially since its going to get really hard to help every single kid tie up their shirt. I did basic spirals in 3 different variations and everyone was happy.

I had a set of colors in a bucket that I gave to 4-8 people at once. that was their set of colors and made it really clear to put the bottles back in the bucket when they were done to limit spilled dye and messes. that worked out really well.

I went out to the salvation army and bought 15 or so humongous tee-shirts that acted like smocks. its way more enviro-friendly and it covers you up more (plus you can reuse them over and over until you really just need to throw them in the wash).

also - you can totally do younger than 12 if you want. we did 6-7 year olds and they had a blast.

are you going to have access to a good water source thats nearby for cleanup? if so, have everyone part of the cleanup process. I had plastic table cloths that I tapes down under the table and tons of paper towels (the really cheap brown ones). I had my campers rinse out their stations and then dry them all down and the tables (and the actual dye bottles and buckets as well). it was a really great system. it took exactly an hour and a half do to everything.

in regards to the soda ash. I didn't soak it in advance, I had a big vat of it there and I would have the kids line up with their stations, I would take each shirt, soak it in the soda ash and made sure it was completely soaking wet and then gave it back to them. it worked fine and limited them being in contact with the chemical.

good luck!

~Elisheva
www.groovesters.com (ITS FINALLY LIVE!!!!!!)

Instead of getting aprons, just get some trash bags & cut a head-hole and two armholes. It won't look lovely, but it will work.