Large Scale Ice Dye
4 Materials
$40
2 Days
Easy
When I first saw this idea on Hometalk I knew it was something I had to try. I have done all kinds of different tie dye projects. It started in elementary school, the school had us bring in shirts and well the rest is history. LOL I have dyed towels as a gift to a friend who loved tie dye, I have made shirts for fun and once I even dyed a shirt to cover up a red stain. You know how it is a red something gets in the wash and ruins your favorite shirt. Pink dye to the rescue. This idea from Amanda https://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/rugs/ice-dyed-linen-beach-picnic-blanket-17790085?r=2&device=desktop
I have a ton of white fabric and I want to use it to reupholster a couch and possibly a matching chair. But... WHITE??? not with 5 cats and 2 dogs and a handicapped kid who regularly pees on my couch. 
Then I saw the ice dye idea and well inspiration struck.
Then I saw the ice dye idea and well inspiration struck. 
I used 30 pounds of ice, and the whole box of washing soda. The dye I used was Procion Mx Dye Jet Black 8 oz and Neutral Grey 8 oz. The dye is about $14 each, and I am sure 4 oz would have been enough. I filled a Rubbermaid tub about half full of hot tap water and dissolved the whole box of Washing soda in it. If you want to be exact it is supposed to be 1 cup of washing soda to 1 gallon of water. I soaked the fabric over night. It needs to be at least an hour but I had other things to do so overnight is is.
This is the dying frame I made.
https://www.hometalk.com/diy/organize/command-centers-boards/multi-purpose-rack-36999842?r=2
I put the tub full of fabric water and washing soda at the end so I didn't have far to go with wet fabric. The frame is on my garden wagon outside as this is going to be very messy.
I pulled the dripping wet fabric out of the tub (No need to squeeze it dry) I made sure to scrunch it and twist it so the dye would make interesting patterns. You can see 2 different colors, that is because it is 2 different fabrics the darker is a cream colored almost flannel kind of fabric, the lighter is a white almost satin kind of fabric. I got them for free from my Father in law who worked for a drapery company that went under. He gave me a lot of different kinds of fabrics.
Cover the fabric with ice. I had bought 3, 10 pound bags of ice to be sure I had enough. This was done a few months ago and I think I only needed 2 bags to cover it.
I used an old kitchen teaspoon and just started sprinkling the black dye here and there.
I then moved on to the gray dye.
every few hours I came out to check on the melting progress of the ice.
This was February and it was taking ages for the ice to melt. I am not a patient person, come on ice melt.
I don't know why but some of the dye stayed on the ice and didn't melt in as the ice melted.
Some of the areas looked a little plain as the ice melted. I debated on if I should add more dye or leave it. I left it. I figured if I didn't like it I could get more washing soda and dye it again.
This is the next day, there was still a bit of ice left after 24 hours. Oh well I'm impatient into the washer it goes. Normally you are supposed to rinse until the water runs clear. I'd flood my back yard if I tried that. I decided to put it in the washer and run it through a few times. I think it was 5 or 6 before the water started to look like normal dirty laundry water. The first couple of runs through it was black really black.
This is fresh out of the dryer. That is a lot of fabric. It should be enough for what I want to do.
This was one of my favorite pieces I love how dark it is and lighter as it flows to the right. it reminds me of waves hitting the sand and flowing back out to sea.
Another favorite, stormy skies.
And here is another piece. Now to bring in the old sofa bed in and get to work. But that is a post for another day.
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3 of 13 comments
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This is so cool! Can't wait to try! I love tie dye too! Thanks for the inspiration ☺
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your piece turned out beautiful. Some good tips on handling all that yardage!
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