Some friendships are built on brunch. The best ones are built on doing something a little messy together.
Dash-dyeing is my own take on tie-dye: you wet a piece, sprinkle powdered dye, mist it and decide in the moment where the color goes. There’s no folding, no rubber bands and no waiting hours to find out what you made. Everyone picks their own colors, everyone dashes their own piece and nobody copies. You leave with something that looks like you, and a story you’ll tell for years.
Three ways to dye with your friends
| In my studio | At your place, everyone pays | At your place, you treat | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Up to 6 friends | Bigger parties and open invites | Birthdays and celebrations you’re hosting |
| Where | My studio in Grand Rapids | Your home, backyard or venue | Your home, backyard or venue |
| Price | $50, includes 3 items; extra pieces $10 | $50 setup; each guest pays $10 per item | From $150; you cover setup and the first 10 items |
| Book | Friends & Family Dye Session | Host an Event | Special Event |
In my studio: a Friends & Family Dye Session
The easiest way in. You and up to five friends come to my home studio in Grand Rapids for an hour and a half. I walk you through all 150 colors, show you the technique, then step back while you play. The session is $50 and includes three items; each extra piece is $10.
At your place: Host an Event
Throwing a bigger party, or want to invite people who’ll each want to make their own thing? I bring the whole dye studio to you for a $50 setup fee, and each guest pays $10 per item they dash. No one has to front the cost for the whole crew.
At your place, on you: a Special Event
Celebrating someone? Make the dyeing the gift. With a Special Event, you cover the setup and the first ten items, so your friends just show up and play. It’s perfect for milestone birthdays, bachelorette weekends and going-away parties. Add a Color Revival for the guest of honor if you want to really spoil them.
Party ideas we love
- Birthday dash: everyone dyes a piece in the birthday person’s favorite color family.
- Bachelorette or bridal shower: matching-but-not-identical robes, bandanas or tees for the weekend.
- Girls’ day or guys’ night: bring the shirts you never wear and give them a second life.
- Going-away party: everyone dyes a bandana, then signs the inside hem for the friend who’s leaving.
- Festival prep: customize your outfits together before the big weekend.
What to bring and wear
- Something natural-fiber to dye: cotton, rayon, linen or hemp. Old shirts, thrifted finds and stained favorites are perfect. (More in Choosing Fabrics to Dash Dye.)
- Clothes you can move in and don’t mind getting a little color on.
- Empty-handed? Blanks are available: t-shirts $10 and bandanas $5.
How a friends’ session flows
- Arrive and settle. Grab a drink and get your bearings.
- Pick your colors. Hold my swatches near your face and notice what you reach for. Watching your friends choose is half the fun.
- Dash. I show you the technique, then you take over. You can always add more color, and you can always change your mind.
- Bag and go. Your pieces leave bagged to set. Rinse them the next day and you’re done.
Good to know
- Sessions are kid-friendly, so friend groups with little ones are welcome.
- Dash-dyeing needs no experience. Most pieces take just a few minutes.
- If anyone in your group has sensory needs, tell me ahead of time and I’ll adjust the lights, music and pace.
Find your way in
Not sure which one fits?
In the studio, a Friends & Family Dye Session fits up to six. At your place, Host an Event if everyone pays for their own pieces, or book a Special Event if you’re treating your people. Tell me about your group and I’ll help you choose.
More joy is possible.