Ice Dyeing

One day last week those nice people over at Dharma Trading where I buy my dyes send me an email with a link in it to Ice Dyeing. It seemed like such a fun idea that I decided to give it a try. You need an item to dye that uses Fiber Reactive Dyes, like cotton or rayon and some soda ash as well as some powdered dye. All are available from Dharma on their website. I did this in my sink in the dye kitchen because it could sit overnight without being disturbed. You can also use a tub or bucket - something to hold the ice as it melts.

New sink in the dye kitchen where this process takes place. Soak the item in soda ash and warm water for half an hour before you begin.

Spread the item to be dyed out in the bottom of the sink . What you can't see in this picture is the rack (a cookie rack - for cooling cookies) underneath. That keeps the fabric just above the melted dyes.

Put ice on top of the cloth - completely cover it in ice. 

 Sprinkle dry dye powder directly on the ice. I started with terra cotta and then bronze and then imperial purple. These are all Dharma Brand Fiber Reactive Dyes.

 It looks like this when the ice starts to melt.

 This is after the ice has melted. It is hard not to want to mess with it and pick it up to see what its doing underneath. Wait 24 hours and then wash it. Mine is a peasant blouse in rayon that looks like this after being washed in synthrapol and hung to dry. It makes the boho-hippie chick in my heart happy....