100+ Tie-dye Patterns and Ideas

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Looking to enchant your wardrobe with some color magic? You’ve come to the right place!

This page contains only the most stunning tie-dye patterns captured on video. If you’re new to the craft, I’d suggest checking out our beginner’s guide first.

Here you’ll find over 100 variations of the most popular designs.

Easy Tie-dye Patterns

These tie-dye patterns are perfect to get started with. They’re easy to make, even if you’ve never touched a bottle of dye in your life.

As opposed to painting, sculpting, or other fine arts, tie-dye is very forgiving to newcomers. You’ll be amazed on the first try!

The fun part is that you don’t need to be perfect. Even a rough approximation of the folding technique is enough to give you great results.

Common techniques can be found here, such as the spiral, crumple, and fan fold. Practice your favorite techniques, you’ll become a pro in no time!

– Press on a shirt to play instructions –

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Single Arm pattern.

Single Arm Spiral

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Two-arms Spiral pattern.

Two-arms Spiral

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Rainbow Spiral pattern.

Rainbow Spiral

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Blackback Spiral pattern.

Blackback Spiral

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Pastel Crumple pattern.

Pastel Crumple

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Heavy Crumple pattern.

Heavy Crumple

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Random Crumple pattern.

Random Crumple

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Camo Crumple pattern.

Camo Crumple

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Fire Crumple pattern.

Fire Crumple

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Slash Crumple pattern.

Slash Crumple

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Fan Fold pattern.

Side Fan Fold

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Top Peacock pattern.

Top Fan Fold

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Diagonal Pleat pattern.

Diagonal Pleat

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Pleated V pattern.

Wedge

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Oasis pattern.

Oasis

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Fireworks pattern.

Fireworks

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Eyeball pattern.

Eyeball

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Heart pattern.

Heart

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Snowflake pattern.

Snowflake

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Target pattern.

Target

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Double X pattern.

Double X Pattern

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Geode pattern.

Geodes

Straight Pleat Tie Dye Pattern

Straight Pleat

Diamond Tie Dye Pattern

Diamond

X Tie Dye Pattern

X Pattern

Pyramid Tie Dye Pattern

Pyramid

ZigZag Tie Dye Pattern

Zig Zag

Water Drop Tie Dye Pattern

Water Drop

Intermediate Tie-dye Patterns

You are ready to try new things. Intermediate patterns are next on your list. You will recognize some of the previous techniques.

Only this time we’ll use more colors and more complex dyeing patterns. We are entering the territory of advanced spirals and precise geometrical shapes.

Don’t be afraid to try something challenging, you’ll only get better as a result. Whatever happens, I guarantee you’ll be surprised.

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Blue Lightning pattern.

Blue Lightning

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Skeletal Spiral pattern.

Skeletal Spiral

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Spirograph pattern.

Spirograph

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Fragmented Spiral pattern.

Fragmented Spiral

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Six Colors Spiral pattern.

Six Colors Spiral

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Criss-Cross Spirals pattern.

Criss-Cross

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Shifting Spiral pattern.

Shifting Spiral

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Reverse Spiral pattern.

Reverse Spiral

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Peacock pattern.

Peacock

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Double Peacock pattern.

Double Peacock

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Sunflare pattern.

Sunflare

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Black Hole pattern.

Black Hole

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Chain Links pattern.

Chain Links

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Rasta Pleat pattern.

Rasta Pleat

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Right Angle Pleat pattern.

Right Angle

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Fish Scales pattern.

Fish Scales

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Geometric pattern.

Geometric

Kaleidoscope Tie Dye Pattern

Kaleidoscope

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Star Mandala pattern.

Star Mandala

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Sunshine Mandala pattern.

Sunshine Mandala

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Candy Corners pattern.

Candy Corners

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Reverse Spine pattern.

Reverse Spine

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Rorschach pattern.

Rorschach

Lotus Mandala Tie Dye Pattern

Lotus Mandala

Earth and Sun Tie Dye Pattern

Earth and Sun

Nautilus Tie Dye Pattern

Nautilus

Advanced Tie-dye Patterns

Flex your tie-dye muscles with these impressive techniques. Mastering will open the door for you to make some of the most expensive and sought-after items of the craft.

Advanced patterns can be hard or even impossible on the first few tries, but they are so worth it.

You might need to work up your muscle memory and finger dexterity before you’re successful.

Advanced patterns use only the most advanced folding and dyeing techniques yet revealed. These are truly some of the most unique pieces you can create.

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Complex Spiral pattern.

Complex Spiral

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Mosaic Spiral pattern.

Mosaic Spiral

Winter Wonder Tie Dye Pattern

Winter Wonder

Mindscape Tie Dye Pattern

Mindscape

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Diagonal Wigwag pattern.

Diagonal Wig-Wag

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the V Wigwag pattern.

V Wig-Wag

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Wedge Wigwag pattern.

Wedge Wig-Wag

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Fan Fold Wigwag pattern.

Fan Fold Wig-Wag

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Mirror Wig-Wag pattern.

Mirror Wig-Wag

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Ripple Pleat pattern.

Ripple Pleat

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Ripple Peacock pattern.

Ripple Peacock

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Mirror Ripple pattern.

Mirror Ripple

Completed tie-dye shirt featuring a Ripple Fan Fold design.

Ripple Fan Fold

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Gradient Fan Fold pattern.

Gradient Fan Fold

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Guitar pattern.

Rainbow Guitar

Completed tie-dye shirt made using the Mini Geodes pattern.

Mini Geodes

Fun Tie-dye Patterns

At the end of the day, tie-dye is all about having fun, and it doesn’t get much more fun than these patterns.

Use the fabric as a canvas and draw with your bottle of dye. Draw whatever shape you want. Keep your fingers crossed for the reveal. You never know how it’ll turn out!

The process is so much fun, just make cool patterns with your friends and have a great adventure.

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of a question mark.

Mysterious Spiral

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Happy Face Emoji.

Happy

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of an Alien.

Strange Encounter

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of an Ladybug.

Ladybug

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of an Flower.

Blooming

Folded shirt dyed in the shape of an erupting volcano.

Elements

Spiral-Folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Frog face.

Froggy

Folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Lion.

Lion

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Mad Cat face.

Mad Cat

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Squid.

Squid

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Tiny Tie-dye Shirt.

Tiny Shirt

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Mushroom.

Mushroom

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of Tiger Stripes.

Tiger Stripes

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Gift Box.

Gift Box

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Rainbow.

Rainbow

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Monkey face.

Monkey

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Watermelon.

Watermelon

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of Zigzag lines.

Zig-Zag Spiral

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of Straight Lines.

Straight Line Spiral

Spiral-folded shirt dyed in the shape of a Flame.

Monkey

More Amazing Tie-dye Techniques

Had fun with these video tutorials? Just wait until you try these other popular tie-dye techniques!

How to Use Tie-dye Patterns

Use the patterns on this page by first learning the basic process. This is easiest done by reading our complete guide to tie-dye.

  1. Choose your favorite pattern
  2. Prepare your supplies and work area
  3. Wet, then wring out a cotton shirt
  4. Fold and tie the shirt according to the pattern
  5. Prepare your colors
  6. Apply dye to the fabric according to the pattern
  7. Let the dye react for 8 hours
  8. Rinse out the shirt
  9. Wash your tie-dye shirt

This is where art meets science. Use your own artistic touch to build on the pattern and create something in your own style. No matter how exactly you try, it’s near impossible to 100% recreate a pattern. All tie-dye shirts have a unique fingerprint.

How Patterns are Ranked

Tie-dye patterns are ranked by difficulty. The main factors used to rank them is the time it takes, the technical ability needed, and the number of colors used.

  • General difficulty
  • Time required
  • Technical ability
  • Number of colors

An easy pattern can be completed in as little as 5 minutes, while advanced patterns may require multiple hours of work.

Advanced patterns require the use of many colors. A simple tie-dye may need only one colors, while a difficult one may use six or more different colors.

How to Design your Own

Patterns come in many variations, but something you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for. When this happens you may need to improvise. A pattern is the result of folding, tying, and dyeing a shirt. When repeated in the same way they produce a similar result.

First you should practice the basics a bit. Start with basic techniques until you get the hang of it. Start adding small variations to your designs. Compare and contrast your projects. You will soon understand how folding and color placement translates to the end result.

What makes a Good Tie-dye Design?

The attractiveness of a shirt is purely subjective. We each have our own preferences. This is because some styles are contrasting. These are some words that could be used to describe the appearance of a tie-dye shirt:

Flashy

– Bright
– Bold
– Exciting

Elegant

– Soft
– Sophisticated
– Calming

If you’re more scientifically inclined you may have an interest for difficult and impressive techniques. Some characteristics you may find appealing in a tie-dye shirt:

  • Color saturation and brightness
  • Technical difficulty
  • Quality of execution

What are Tie-dye Patterns?

Basic patterns are often referred to by the folding technique they use. More complex or hard to describe patterns can be named according to the shape, color, or general appearance of the design.

Designs can be made with or for any shape, size, and arrangement of fabric. They are usually made on shirts or tapestries. Most patterns can be used interchangeably on any blanks.

Tapestries are flat pieces of fabric. It can be considered to be a two-dimensional object for the purpose of folding and dyeing. Garments, on the other hand, are usually three-dimensional objects.