Most of us have dyed t-shirts before in school or at camp, or maybe have even bought a cool tie-dye shirt at the store. But what if you could do tie dye at home without ever using a washing machine?

A visual expression of happiness in fabric form, tie-dye, in all of its Technicolor glory, is the kind of mood boost we need now—particularly as we’ve been stuck in the same-old confines of home.

The textile technique has gotten celebrity attention again this season, but it’s always been part of the arts scene in places like Nigeria and Japan. By Melanie Abrams When Jared Leto donned a ...