ICE DYEING ADDICTION PART 1

Ice Dyeing Addiction 

Part 1

The Dyer!

I was first introduced to dyeing fabric a few months ago.  The work is extremely hard but the results I find are completely satisfying.  By the end of a "dye" session my body aches.  My feet are throbbing, my hands hurt if I tied a lot of fabric and I swear I won't be "doing this again!" The session is generally, for me, a two or three day process depending on the prep work. 

Day one is prep day.  The day is used to decide what colors will be used, the fabric choices, and any folds to be included, if any are put into the fabric.  

Dye day, which is generally day two, brings a lot of anticipation when I look at the colors as they begin to adhere to the fabric. I start to erroneously begin to fantasize about what the fabric will look like.  In Ice Dyeing, there seems to be no definite way the colors will "split" or separate as the ice melts and the dyes move into the fabric.   The split creates colors that are unpredictable and exciting to anticipate. 

Always, safety first!  The dyes I use (Procion MX Dye) and  are made of a really fine powder that can cling to your lungs so a mask is highly recommended to be worn at any time the dry powder is exposed to the air.  Once it is wet or in solution the mask can be removed.

 These two photos show my work station which is covered in plastic and towels.

 The excitement!  The dark color dye has hit the ice and is beginning to turn this beautiful vibrant autumn color.  At this point in my dyeing experience I'm getting really excited!

The ice is melting nicely and now the fabric looks well, not so exciting!  The few times I've ice dyed I get to this point and feel and think, what the heck!  These are not so attractive!

 Then the wash out.....wow I'm thinking "and my body aches for this awful color!"

The end of day two, the rinse out is complete, all fabric is in the washing machine for it's final rinse out.  

The final results to follow!.......Probably tomorrow or Friday.