Experimenting with Ice Dyeing
By: Pearl
A new fun thing that I have been doing is called ice dyeing. It uses powdered dye and ice to create unique patterns on cloth. Let me explain the process. I take a damp piece of cloth that has been soaked in soda ash then I do a tie-dye technique to give a little bit of a pattern. I put the cloth in a container. At this point, I can either put the powdered dye on the cloth, then layer ice on top, or cover the fabric with ice and sprinkle the powdered dye on the ice. I like to put the dye next to the fabric and then add a nice thick layer of ice. The longest part of the process is waiting for the ice to melt and the dye to set. Finally, I wash the cloth until there is no more dye coming off. The colors of the finished cloth are a bit lighter after washing.
Ice dyeing has a textured look that I love. Because the powdered dye slowly transfers to the cloth, the dye separates into its component colors. For example, Amber Waves, a tan color, separates into blue, red, yellow, and green colors. I have been experimenting with ice dyeing because I need some new shirts and socks. When I have made them, I will post pictures.