This is how to transform clothes with ice dyeing - and it's a great lockdown project for kids

18 April 2020, 12:33

Ice-dyeing, like tie-dyeing, is a fun way to transform old clothes, with the bonus of keeping kids busy using a few kitchen items.

One in three Brits haven't worn half or more of their wardrobe in the past year, according to research by Dylon Dyes. To encourage people to make the most of their wardrobe, the brand has created this step-by-step guide on the lesser-known technique called ice-dyeing.

Here’s how you can transform glum garments into something a little more fun, whether you're trying to keep the kids busy in lockdown or to update your work-from-home look.

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Supplies

Dylon Hand Dyes – it is recommended to use more than one colour

An old (or new) clean white cotton or linen t-shirt or shirt  

Bag of ice cubes

Rubber gloves

Cooling rack

Large plastic tray

Total time, approximately 2 hours, of which at least 1 hour is unattended

1. Wet the clean shirt and squeeze out any excess water.

2. Leave damp and crumple shirt into a bundle

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3. Stack the cooling rack on top of a tray for ice to drip freely in puddle under shirt

4. Place the crumpled shirt on rack and cover with ice cubes

5. Sprinkle dye powder at random over the ice

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6. Repeat if you’re adding additional colours.

7. Leave shirt to sit for a minimum of one hour or until the ice melts to allow the dye to seep into fabric.

8. Once dye has set, rinse out excess dye until water runs clear and leave to dry away from direct sunlight.

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