Ice tie-dyeing is, as the name implies, the process of using ice to create unique tie-dye patterns.
Tie-dyeing with ice is a simple technique that depends on the melting of the ice to form its stunning designs.
This is a great activity for adults and children alike as it doesn’t require anything more than a piece of white fabric, ice, a tie-dye kit, plastic wrap, a wire rack, and some kind of vessel for catching the melting ice and dye.
Basic Instructions
To tie-dye with ice, get your fabric wet, then bunch the fabric up and place it on the rack.
Lay the rack on top of the container (a glass Pyrex dish or a large plastic bowl works well), and then cover the fabric completely with ice.
Open the packets of tie-dye powder from the kit, and sprinkle them on top of the ice. Cover the ice with plastic wrap and let it sit for 8 hours.
Then rinse the fabric with cold water, and wash and dry.
It is easier to use crushed ice as opposed to larger cubes as the smaller size enables you to move the ice around and cover every part of the fabric.
The more you crumple up the fabric, the more of the white fabric will show after dyeing.
Most tie-dye kits come with fiber-reactive dye that works best on fabrics made from cellulose fibers, such as cotton, hemp, and linen.
You can create tie-dye on synthetic fabrics such as polyester, but you will need to use a specific type of dye called disperse dye.
Key Takeaways
The Tulip 15 Color Tie-Dye Kit is a great choice for those wanting to throw a tie-dye party.
The Magicfly DIY Tie-Dye Set is ideal for those wanting an all-inclusive kit that contains everything they need to ice dye.
The Mosaiz Tie-Dye Kit is an excellent choice for kids as it comes with spray nozzles for easy application.
- Kit includes enough tie-dye supplies for a party of 5 people
- Features 15 easy-squeeze bottles of highly-concentrated nontoxic one-step dyes in popular colors –...
- 【Super Value】Magicfly 179 pack tie dye DIY kit comes with everything you need, perfect for...
- 【Easy to use】 Our tie dye kit has step-by-step instructions. Just fill the bottles with regular...
- ALL INCLUDED PACK - Our tie dye party kit includes all you need to join this fun activity without...
- KIDS SAFE & EASY TO USE - Our tie dye kits for kids do not require any heating. No need to soak in...
| Tulip 15 Color Tie-Dye Kit | Best for group activity |
| Customizable DIY Ice Tie-Dye Kit | Best for guided color mixing |
| Tulip One-Step Ice Tie-Dye Kit | Beautiful color set |
| Vanli’s Tie-Dye Activity Pack | Biggest color variety |
| Magicfly DIY Tie-Dye Set | Best all-inclusive kit |
| Jacquard Cold Water Dye Set | Great for tie-dyeing and shibori |
| Mosaiz Tie-Dye Kit | Good for kids |
| Pulaisen Tie-Dye Kit | Instructions for the most patterns included |
| Emooqi Vibrant Tie-Dye Kit | Most bang for your buck |
Main Recommendations
The Best Tie-Dye Kit for Color Variety: Vanli’s Tie-Dye Activity Pack
The Best Tie-Dye Kit for Kids: Mosaiz Tie Dye Kit
The Best Tie-Dye Kit for Throwing a Tie-Dye Party: Tulip 15 Color Tie-Dye Kit
The Best All-Inclusive Tie-Dye Kit: Magicfly DIY Tie-Dye Set
- 👚MOST COLOR VARIETY : Our 319 pack tie dye kit contains everything you need to complete a fun...
- 👚SQUEEZE EASY BOTTLES: Each 60ml bottle is color coded and contains highly concentrated powder....
- ALL INCLUDED PACK - Our tie dye party kit includes all you need to join this fun activity without...
- KIDS SAFE & EASY TO USE - Our tie dye kits for kids do not require any heating. No need to soak in...
- Kit includes enough tie-dye supplies for a party of 5 people
- Features 15 easy-squeeze bottles of highly-concentrated nontoxic one-step dyes in popular colors –...
- 【Super Value】Magicfly 179 pack tie dye DIY kit comes with everything you need, perfect for...
- 【Easy to use】 Our tie dye kit has step-by-step instructions. Just fill the bottles with regular...
1. Tulip 15 Color Tie-Dye Kit
- Kit includes enough tie-dye supplies for a party of 5 people
- Features 15 easy-squeeze bottles of highly-concentrated nontoxic one-step dyes in popular colors –...
This tie-dye kit comes with 15 vibrant colors and is an ideal group-activity kit as it has enough supplies to tie-dye with 5 people.
Pros:
- Doesn’t require presoaking with soda ash
- Nontoxic dyes
- Rainbow of color choices
- Includes a guide describing how to create 8 different patterns
- Machine washable
Cons:
- Won’t work well with synthetic or protein based fabrics
- Dye will need to be used within 24 hours of mixing it with water
2. Customizable DIY Ice Tie-Dye Kit
This ice dye kit includes a 27 x 27-inch bandana for dyeing, soda ash, tie-dye, and a guide detailing how to tie-dye with ice.
Pros:
- The included guide describes how to combine colors to make beautiful designs
- Kit includes rubber bands, wooden spoons, and enough dye and soda ash to try multiple techniques
- Kit is customizable; you choose the outcome you would like and the colors needed are sent to you
Cons:
- Only comes with one item to tie-dye and one set of colors
- More costly than other options
- Will need to make soda ash solution and soak fabric in it before applying tie-dye
3. Tulip One-Step Ice Tie-Dye Kit
- JUST ADD ICE: This unique tie-dye kit includes the tools, special instructions, and everything else...
- NONTOXIC DYES: Kit features highly concentrated NONTOXIC One-Step Dyes that will activate when the...
The Tulip One-Step Ice Tie-Dye Kit comes with four gorgeous colors as well as rubber bands, plastic gloves, and an ice-dye grate.
The kit includes Sky, Blue, Lilac, and Lavender colors that combine to make an icy-cool pattern.
Tulip makes four other one-step tie-dye kits with different color sets, including:
- Glitter (comes with Blush, Lemon, Mint, and Lavender as well as a Glitter Mixer).
- Glow in the Dark (includes Fuschia, Orange, Yellow, Lime, and a Glow Mixer).
- Ombre (has Sky, Lavender, Salmon, and Butterscotch).
- Stripes (contains Pink, Yellow, Teal, and Royal Blue).
Each of these kits can also be used to ice dye.
Pros:
- Kit contains everything you need to ice dye except for fabric and a container to catch the melted ice
- No soda ash required
Cons:
- Kit does not include warmer colors
4. Vanli’s Tie-Dye Activity Pack
- 👚MOST COLOR VARIETY : Our 319 pack tie dye kit contains everything you need to complete a fun...
- 👚SQUEEZE EASY BOTTLES: Each 60ml bottle is color coded and contains highly concentrated powder....
This activity pack comes with a huge selection of 35 different colors as well as 3D fabric paints, disposable aprons, gloves, tablecloths, rubber bands, and a guidebook.
This pack is a good choice for a classroom tie-dyeing lesson.
Pros:
- Comes with 30-day guarantee
- Nontoxic
- Includes glow-in-the-dark fabric paint
Cons:
- Instructions don’t describe what temperature of water to use or how much water to use
5. Magicfly DIY Tie-Dye Set
- 【Super Value】Magicfly 179 pack tie dye DIY kit comes with everything you need, perfect for...
- 【Easy to use】 Our tie dye kit has step-by-step instructions. Just fill the bottles with regular...
This kit comes with 20 different colors and step-by-step instructions for creating seven different tie-dye patterns.
Pros:
- Doesn’t need to be soaked in soda ash before use
- Nontoxic
- Comes with a handy carrying case
Cons:
- Doesn’t include a rack for the ice-dyeing process
6. Jacquard Cold Water Dye Set
- Great for tie-dye and fabric dying!
- Set of eight 2/3-oz. bottles
This cold-water dye set comes with 8 different colors of batik dyes, specifically designed for use with resist dyeing methods such as tie-dye or shibori.
Pros:
- Enough dye in each container for 8-10 adult-sized shirts
- Bright, long-lasting colors
Cons:
- Will need to soak in soda ash solution prior to tie-dyeing
- Should not be used on synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon
7. Mosaiz Tie-Dye Kit
- ALL INCLUDED PACK - Our tie dye party kit includes all you need to join this fun activity without...
- KIDS SAFE & EASY TO USE - Our tie dye kits for kids do not require any heating. No need to soak in...
This tie-dye kit includes 26 bright colors as well as three spray nozzles for easy application, making it a great choice for kids’ tie-dyeing activities.
Pros:
- Comes with an instructional guide
- Squeeze bottles make creating a variety of designs simple and fun
Cons:
- Comes with only three spray nozzles, which will need to be cleaned between colors
8. Pulaisen Tie-Dye Kit
- [One-step Tie Dye DIY] -- Full play to imagination,suitable for beginners and professionals.Very...
- [Kids-friendly & Handmade Project] -- Non-toxic, perfect for solo projects and family fun, summer...
This tie-dye kit has 18 unique colors and includes instructions for tie-dyeing with ice. This kit contains enough supplies for six people to tie-dye.
Pros:
- Doesn’t need to be soaked in soda ash solution before dyeing
- Long-lasting colors that are machine safe
- Includes a guide with instructions for nine tie-dye patterns
Cons:
- Colors aren’t as bright as other brands
9. Emooqi Vibrant Tie-Dye Kit
- 155 Pack Tie Dye Diy Kit: Emooqi tie dye kits Comes with 15 Squeeze Bottles(60ml/each) and 15 Bags...
- 15 Beautiful Colors Tie Dye for You : Everyone is a Craft Artist. Our colorful tie dye kit features...
This kit contains 15 different colors as well as squeeze bottles, gloves, aprons, tablecloths, an instruction guide, sealable bags, a spoon, a funnel, and rubber bands, making it a comprehensive and cost-effective selection for tie-dye parties.
All you need to supply is ice, the fabric to be dyed, a rack to dye over, and a container to catch the dye and melted ice, and you’re good to go!
Pros:
- Easy to mix colors
- Enough dye included to create multiple projects
Cons:
- Works best on natural fibers
- Instructions have some typos
- Doesn’t tell you how much water to mix into the dye
Conclusion
Ice tie-dyeing is a fun and easy process that can be enjoyed by adults and children, beginners and professionals.
All you need is ice, something to dye, a rack, a container to catch the melting ice and dye, and one of the tie-dye kits listed in this article to get started making your own groovy ice tie-dye designs.
Last update on 2022-05-18 at 20:49 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
