Published Date May 29, 2020
Summertime is the perfect time to try the ice tie-dye technique! Hot weather calls for cooling off in style, which is one of the many reasons we're big fans of ice tie dye. The other reason we love this fun tie-dye technique is that the ice does the dye work for you, so you can kick up your feet with a cold bevvy and relax while the tie-dye magic is happening. That's right, no need to mix up your dyes; just pour the powder over a mound of ice with your project underneath and let the melting process create the coolest watercolor effects. To help get you inspired, here's a roundup of ice tie-dye projects featuring a mix of colors and tie-dye patterns. Check 'em out then raid your freezer and get started on your new favorite tie-dye technique!
- Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Kit of choice
- White 100% cotton T-shirt
- White canvas shoes
- Wire rack
- Bucket
- Ice (enough to cover entire project)
If you had a kaleidoscope as a kid, you'll definitely remember how cool it was to look through the view opening and see all of the colors twist, dance and change shape as you rotated the piece on the end. This tricked-out tie-dye T-shirt is just like that! With all of its colors and winding patterns, it's no wonder we called this technique the Kaleidoscope Ice Tie-Dye Technique! For this one, you'll want a larger tie-dye kit so you can use a lot of different dye colors. Follow the easy tutorial to create an ice tie-dye T-shirt that's pretty much guaranteed to be your go-to tee all summer long.
Want to make a totally amazing T-shirt with as little effort as possible? We've got the perfect project for you! This T-shirt was created using the crumple tie-dye technique, which is pretty much the easiest tie-dye technique ever. All you have to do is scrunch up a damp T-shirt into a mound - and you don't even have to bind it with rubber bands if you don't want to. Scrunch it up, throw some ice on top, sprinkle on dye colors from the Ice Cream Shoppe Tie-Dye Kit and you're done! With all that time you saved, you can get to work on another tie-dye project. Or do nothing, up to you.
Ice tie dye isn't just for T-shirts ... try it on shoes too! As long as your shoes are made from a natural-fiber fabric like canvas (cotton), you can totally tie dye them. Make sure to remove the laces (if you don't want to dye them), tape up the soles to protect them from getting stained, and you're ready to give your shoes a next-level makeover. We love how these turned out like a watercolor painting ... every result is one of a kind with ice tie dye!
We're obsessed with how bright and bold this ice tie-dye T-shirt turned out, but you can create one in this same style with a more subdued hue like black or blue for an edgier vibe. Or if you love even more color, add several shades! The pattern itself only looks complex, but we promise it's easy to do. Follow the stripes tie-dye technique, using smaller pleats for your fabric. Then use zip ties or rubber bands to tightly secure your pleated fabric every few inches. Place a mound of ice on top, sprinkle on that dye powder and give yourself major kudos for your tie-dye skills. After all of this ice tie-dye inspo, we're ready for a cold treat, aren't you?!
