Creating unique tie-dye crayons is a fun and simple project, primarily involving melting down old crayon pieces into new, colorful forms.
Based on a method described on instructables.com, you can easily transform broken crayon stubs into vibrant, swirled art tools.
Easy Steps to Make Tie Dye Crayons
The core process is about melting crayon pieces together. Here's how you can do it:
- Gather Your Materials: Collect old crayon stubs or break new crayons into smaller pieces. You'll need a variety of colors for the "tie-dye" effect.
- Prepare the Mold: Get a mini-muffin tin. This serves as the perfect mold for creating small, chunk-like crayons.
- Fill the Molds: As this page on instructables.com shows, you simply toss the stubs into the mini-muffin tin. Fill each cup with a mix of different colored crayon pieces. Don't overfill, as they will melt down.
- Bake Them: Place the muffin tin in an oven. According to the instructables method, you bake them at just 275 degrees Fahrenheit. This low temperature is sufficient to melt the wax slowly.
- Melt and Mix: Let them bake until the crayons have fully melted and started to mix slightly, creating swirly patterns. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning.
- Cool Down: Carefully remove the tin from the oven and let the melted crayons cool completely and solidify. You can speed this up by placing the tin in the refrigerator.
- Remove and Use: Once solid, pop the new tie-dye crayon chunks out of the muffin tin.
Why This Method Works
Baking at a low temperature allows the different colored waxes to melt together gradually, creating beautiful swirled patterns without the colors blending completely into one muddy shade. The mini-muffin shape results in chunks that are easy for little hands to hold.
- Drawing with Tie-Dye Crayons: These unique crayons offer interesting possibilities. The edges of the cooled crayon chunks are often sharp enough to draw thin lines.
- Switching Colors: If you want to switch the dominant color you're using from a single chunk, simply flip the muffin over in your hand to use a different part of the swirl!
Materials Needed
| Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Crayon stubs/pieces | The base material for the new crayons |
| Mini-muffin tin | Mold for shaping the melted crayons |
| Oven | For melting the crayon wax |
| Oven mitts | For safety when handling the hot tin |
| Optional: Knife/box cutter | To break larger crayons (with adult supervision) |
By following these steps, utilizing a mini-muffin tin and baking at 275 degrees Fahrenheit, you can effectively make swirly, tie-dyed crayon chunks from old crayon pieces, as demonstrated on instructables.com.
