Ghost Tie Dye Shirt

Home » Blog » DIYs and Craft Projects » Ghost Tie Dye Shirt

Learn how to make a ghost tie dye design on a shirt. Follow easy steps to dye your own tie dye ghost to make your own customized Halloween tie dye shirt.

When I think about Halloween, I of course think about pumpkins, bats, witches, mostly candy, but also ghosts. So for my series of Halloween tie dye shirts I wanted to make a tie dye ghost design. I love how simple, but cute it is and you can customize it with whichever colors you’d like!

This ghost tie dye is a fun way to get started making your own fun tie dye designs. I even included a printable template to make it even easier. And you don’t have to do them on just shirts, you can make these designs on any type of clothing or fabric!

And you can make these fun ghost pathway lights to line the driveway and some easy pumpkin cinnamon rolls for a tasty treat!

Note: Some links in this post may contain affiliate links, which means at no cost to you, I may earn a commission.

Don’t forget to pin it so you can come back to it later!

Materials to Make the Ghost Tie Dye Shirt

White Cotton Shirt (Amazon)
Tie Dye Kit with Black Dye and Soda Ash (get it on Jacquard for 20% off with code ABCRAFTY or from Amazon)
Soda Ash (if your kit doesn’t come with soda ash. Get it from Jacquard for 20% off with code ABCRAFTY)
Washable Marker (Amazon)
Rubber Bands or Zip Ties (these are the ones I have)
Plastic Wrap
Rubber Gloves
Paper Towels
Ghost Tie Dye Template (optional)

Gildan Adult Ultra Cotton T-Shirt with Pocket, Style G2300, 2-Pack, White, X-Large

40%

Tulip Artisan Soda Ash Tie-Dye Kit with Color Mixing Bottle (33545)

$19.99

53%

Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable Markers, 12 Count

$10.69

Helonge Reusable Zip Ties, 100 Pcs Assorted Fastening Cable Zip Ties 6" 8" 10" 12" Four Length Heavy Duty Nylon Self Locking Wire Ties

Free Downloadable Halloween Tie Dye Templates

Download these templates to make it easy to make all the Halloween tie dye shirts. Each template is on its own page so you can print the ones you want. Download it below or in the shop.

Scale them to the size you want and print them out to make it super easy to draw the design.

Download the Free
Halloween Tie Dye Templates

We’re committed to your privacy. AB Crafty uses the information you provide to contact you about relevant content and products. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time.

Instructions to Make a Ghost Tie Dye Shirt

Before doing anything, wash the shirt to remove any chemicals or anything else that may prevent the dye from setting properly. This will help you get the most vibrant color. You can then take the shirt directly out of the wash as you’ll want it wet.

Prepare the Ghost Tie Dye Design

If your shirt is already clean, wet it. Then fold the shirt in half and draw half of a ghost design and an eye with a washable marker. You can use the free printable ghost template to make it even easier. Simply print it out and trace along the outside or put it under the shirt and trace on top.

Make an accordion fold along the line, keeping the line straight as you fold. Move and turn the shirt so that the line stays straight.

Continue to make folds in the shirt along the marker line.

Use a rubber band or zip tie to secure the shirt along the marker line.

Wrap a rubber band around the drawn eye.

Fold the rest of the shirt and secure it with zip ties and rubber bands.

Tip: If you want to continue the ghost design, follow the folds made by the first zip tie. You could also crumple the rest of the shirt for a crumple tie dye pattern.

You May Also Like...

diy outdoor halloween lights lining the path in front of gravestones with the title "ghost pathway lights"

DIY Ghost Halloween Lights – Easy Halloween Pathway Lights

4 reverse tie dye t shirts with different patterns with the title "bleach tie dye"

Bleach Tie Dye – AKA Reverse Tie Dye

finished tie dye shirt with a rainbow target tie dye pattern with the title "tie dye shirts"

Tie Dye Shirts – How-To and Patterns

finished black tie dye shirt with the title "tie dye bat" on top

Bat Tie Dye Shirt

Prepare and Dye the Shirt

Mix 1 cup of soda ash with one gallon of water. Stir it until the soda ash is completely dissolved.

Soak the shirt in the soda ash solution for 20 minutes. The soda ash allows the dye to adhere better to the fabric and create more vibrant colors.

If your kit doesn’t come with soda ash, you can get it separately from Jacquard for 20% off with code ABCRAFTY

(This is actually a photo of a bat tie dye shirt and a pumpkin tie dye shirt soaking, but I put the ghost tie dye shirt in shortly after!)

Place plastic wrap on the table and put on gloves.

Prepare the dye according to the tie dye kit (I like this one which comes with black dye – you can get it from Jacquard for 20% off with code ABCRAFTY). Squeeze black dye onto the small sectioned off eye. Be sure to only get the dye on that section as the next section will stay white.

Skip a section next to the eye, then add purple to the following section. Skip another section and add purple to that section. Be sure to get dye on both sides. You can also squeeze the dye into the shirt to help distribute it.

You want to make sure the shirt is thoroughly saturated, but not dripping.

Tip: If your tie dye kit doesn’t come with purple, you can make purple by mixing blue and red. If you want to make it darker, add a little bit of black dye (a drop or two at a time). This is how I made this dark purple.

Then dye the remaining sections black. Make sure to still keep that first section next to the eye white.

Tip: As you change colors or even while you dye, it’s a good idea to wipe up the area with a paper towel to make sure you don’t get dye where you don’t want it.

Once your shirt is completely dyed, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it set for at least 6 hours, but I recommend a full 24 hours. This will help make sure the colors are as vibrant as possible.

Wash and Dry the Ghost Tie Dye Shirt

Once the time is up, rinse it in the sink and remove the ties. Gradually increase the water temperature until the water runs clear. Then wash the shirt in the washing machine with other tie dye clothing and dry it.

Your ghost tie dye shirt is now ready to wear!

Get the latest DIY tutorials, reviews, and crafting updates

You'll never be spammed and can unsubscribe at any time

If you make your own tie dye ghost shirt, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @ab.crafty

More Tie Dye Projects and Halloween Crafts

And here are my recommendations for the best tie dye kits.

Get the latest DIY tutorials, reviews, and crafting updates

You'll never be spammed and can unsubscribe at any time