Materials Checklist: a shopping guide
Our Suggested Tools and Supplies for Ice Dyeing:
(These specific links aren't necessarily the most affordable option for each item; later sections go into more choices for sourcing. Reliability & quality are also taken into consideration.)
- A non-staining surface to work on. We love plastic folding tables because dye wipes off easily. You can cover any surface with plastic sheeting or just use an unopened garbage bag!
- Fiber Reactive Dyes (see more sources in the Fiber Reactive Dye Powder section)
- Fabric or clothing to dye (made from cellulose fibers)
- Handheld mini sifters (or 1 ounce spice jars) for sprinkling the dye powders. Old empty spice jars from the kitchen work great!
- Rubber bands and faux sinew
- A mixing spoon (or something else with a long firm handle to help you pull tight on the sinew)
- Soda Ash (sodium carbonate) powder
- Gloves (I prefer vinyl and powder-free)
- A lidded bucket or container for making & storing soda ash soaking solution
- Ice! We buy 20 lbs bags at a time from the grocery store, because we're doing a lot of ice dyeing, but you can get away with a few trays full for your first project.
- A baking rack, plus pieces of cardboard, rubber wall cove base, or silicone cake molds for dyeing on the rack
- A lidded container (can be a bucket, a disposable roasting pan, a plastic bowl, etc) for dyeing in the muck
- Blue Dawn dish soap for your wash-out (or a professional textile detergent like Synthropol)
- Reusable washable rags, i.e., cut up an old towel
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