Bored of making banana bread? Finished all the jigsaw puzzles? Taken your selfie wearing a belted pillow? If you are looking for your next lockdown pastime, well, here it is: home-made tie-dye.
With vast swaths of the planet either confined to their homes or cautiously emerging, it seems as if people are still looking for ways to keep entertained at home. No doubt inspired by the trend of this season, where tie-dye ruled the runways at Christian Dior, Stella McCartney and Prada, people are now feeling brave enough to copy this cheerful trend at home, if social media is any indication.
Of course, one of the great joys of tie-dye is that it is easy to do and anyone can have a go. By the very nature of the swirled patterns this technique creates, it is impossible to get it wrong.
What do you need?
A cotton T-shirt or top, a packet of fabric dye, some salt (to make the dye adhere to the fabric), some string and, most importantly, a sense of adventure.
How does it work?
By twisting the fabric and tying it, in effect you are blocking dye from reaching certain areas, and it is these ‘blank’ areas that creates the pattern. Those spaces can, of course, be filled in with another colour, or left white, whatever your personal preference. Depending on how the fabric is twisted, scrunched, folded and tied, different patterns will emerge and, best of all, each one is utterly, totally unique.
In Japan, the process is called shibori and produces complex patterns of white on indigo. In India, meanwhile, it is known as bandhani and is used to decorate entire shawls and turbans in tiny circles of rich shades of red.
How do you create it?
To do this at home, first find a cotton T-shirt or top (it must be cotton, this will not work on synthetic materials) and then start to twist, scrunch or pinch parts of the fabric, securing those areas with string.
Once ready, pour dye directly on to the cloth wherever and however you feel. Either use one colour for a two-tone effect, or splash on a few in different places for something even more vibrant.
Once finished, place the item inside a plastic bag to keep out the air. By nature, this process of dying has an element of unpredictability, which is half the fun. There is no knowing how it looks until it is unwrapped, so surrender to the process.
This YouTube video shows you what to do:
Wait at least eight hours, and then remove the garment from the bag, take off the string, and hand wash in warm water. If the dye used has a separate packet of ‘fixing’ solution, now is the time to add it.
Due to the messy mature of this process, it is best to do this in the bath, or use a large bucket with plastic sheeting underneath. Don’t do this on the kitchen table unless you want badly dyed wood and, given the current state of the world, there is no excuse not to wear gloves.
Once washed and dried, enjoy wearing your new top, secure in the knowledge that thought it may not have turned out how you expected it, beautiful or ugly, this is the only one like it in the world.
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books
Match info:
Portugal 1
Ronaldo (4')
Morocco 0
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Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania
Verdict: 4 Stars
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
