Published: July 23, 2008 12:57 pm            

Teens dip into dye at library

For the latest summer activity at the Duncan Public Library, youths took their projects out on the balcony.

Several teens participated in a tie-dye program Friday at the library. The event was led by librarian Cheryl Davis with help from Darbie LaFontain, children’s librarian.

To take part in the event, teens took either a white T-shirt or another white article of clothing to be dyed.

“It was awesome,” LaFontain said. “Everyone got to do at least two pieces.”

The program continues the two months of summer programming at the library. The series will continue with several big events, including teen paper making by recycling, Grossology by the Science Museum of Oklahoma City, and award-winning song writer Monty Harper.

With 16 teens participating in the event, LaFontain said the program was well attended. Mollee McGuire and Kayla Willett were just two of the youths who took part in the project.

Both said they had fun. Willett said she liked the colors, and McGuire said she liked getting to see what happened when the colors were put on the clothes.

“It was fun,” McGuire said. “It was just one big experiment to see how they would mix.”

Neither had tie-dyed before, but even if they had, it wouldn’t have been the same as the popular rubber band version of tie-dying. Instead, the articles of clothing were tied with twine.

Several techniques were used, from swirls to an accordion-folding style. And instead of dipping the white items into the dye, the dye was sprayed on.

Willett and McGuire, both of whom have attended several teen library programs, said this was their favorite of those programs.

LaFontain said the program went well, much like other activities this summer. But this program might never have been if she hadn’t started looking at what her co-workers had to offer.

“I went to a library workshop, and they told us that a lot of talent is right under our noses,” she said. “Cheryl is so talented. She’s always into a lot of different arts.”

Adding to the artistic flair of the project was the number of colors available.

“She (Davis) had a bunch of colors, every color of the rainbow,” LaFontain said.

Once the clothes were dyed, they were strung up on a rope tied to the rails of the balcony to give them time to dry.

LaFontain said she and the teens enjoyed the program.

“That was a lot of fun,” she said.

        

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