Name: kim

Message: How would I tie-dye the "C" symbol for the Cincinnati Reds? Is it even possible? If not, could you recommend a technique where I could have the "C" on the shirt, then tie-dye around it?

Here is an example, but I don't need the "Reds" word on there, just the "C". It's not just a plain letter of the alphabet

There are several different ways you could do this. The easiest would be to use opaque iron-on inkjet paper to print out the logo. Tie-dye the shirt using lots of dye to minimize white in the design, to make a good background, then after washing and drying, iron your image on. (Try a smaller or larger one on the back!)

You could use batik wax, or soy wax, or Elmer's Washable Blue School Gel, to protect the fabric from the dye everywhere that the design is white. (Use a plain ordinary pencil to mark your design beforehand.) Let the glue dry completely before squirting on the dye, and put something inside the shirt to prevent the glue from transferring from the front to the back, inside the shirt, during dyeing; if you use wax, this is necessary only until the wax solidifies, not during dyeing, as is required for the glue. After the shirt has been dyed and washed and dried, use a black fabric marker, such as the ones made by Marvy or by Jacquard, to add the black shadows that you see in the image. I recommend any brand of marker that is labeled as being permanent on fabric; I do not recommend a black permanent marker that is not intended for fabric, such as a Sharpie pen.

It is not impossible to tie-dye good letters. It would be very difficult to do the full logo, since tying four letters enclosed in a larger letter would be very challenging even for an expert tie-dyer, but just doing the C alone is very possible. The method I recommend is to fold your shirt horizontally, then draw the "C" shape centered on the fold, so that the portion above the line is an exact mirror image of the part below. Using a plain ordinary pencil (not a colored pencil, which may stain), draw the outline of the C. Starting at the fold, scrunch up the shirt very carefully along the curved line, working all the way from the point at the outside of the C, around the end of the letter, and finally around the inside curve of the letter until you get back to the center line. Tie very firmly on this line, getting someone else to help you if necessary as you hold the fold. If this is unclear, it's the same technique that is used in the awareness ribbon shape, though somewhat simpler to do; see How to fold an Awareness Ribbon. Also look at the tutorial for dyeing a heart at the Tie Dye Wiki.

You'll want to do this design only for your own use, not for sale, since the logo is trademarked. 

I recommend that you use Procion MX dyes, or any good tie-dye kit. Do not use all-purpose dye, such as Rit or Tintex, for tie-dyeing cotton. The best material to use for tie-dyeing is 100% cotton, or 100% rayon.

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