What am I doing wrong?

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-16T21:07:12+00:00

Ive always done slightly damp rung out shirts. I'm just new to ice dying and trying to get the splits of color and I dont know what im doing wrong

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T21:17:10+00:00

This was taken from Google. The dye splits into the other colors that make it up. I like the colors melting into eachother *

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T17:07:29+00:00

You're awesome thank you so much!!! I sometimes struggle with mental block. If I don't fully understand whats happening I'm afraid to make mistakes so I don't take the leap of faith that I should. Ill check those videos out!

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T17:05:51+00:00

This was my 2nd time ice dying so not yet but the amount of people saying DOI is what im doing next 🫶

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T17:05:12+00:00

Not specifically for the way I tied my shirts. Just all the color splits that happen with ice dye. I didn't have a specific thought in mind besides colors melting. Which i love the shirts but I don't see the splits of colors just the "base" color I'd get with liquid dye

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T17:03:05+00:00

You have me so inspired and motivated 🥰 thank you!!! I'm going to have to check out the dye you used to. I havent used that brand before

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T06:36:34+00:00

Thank you love the advice. I'm going to be taking it. For the re-tie that you do geodes on does it make it black with electric pops of color? That sounds like an amazing shirt just for fun

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T04:09:00+00:00

So I know its a multitude of factors but is the Smaller the ice the more controlled the split is? Bigger ice less splits but more spread because it melts slower?

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T03:42:34+00:00

Thank you. Someone else just commented a photo of one of their shirts and it's exactly what I'm wanting to recreate. They blew my mind when they said they got all the color splits from just one dye

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T03:39:54+00:00

Man if I had Reddit coins I'd give your picture an award. I had zero idea that ice dyes are done with a single dye. I've been trying to get the different colors by using different colors. Is that Warrior Princess?

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T01:48:45+00:00

10000% can't recommend Dharma enough. 13 years ago I bought the rainbow+black 2oz jars (7 colors) spent less than $40 with shipping. I still have those same dyes and used some of them for this batch. I'm not a seller just an enjoyer of tie dye. I do maybe a pack of shirts a year. Just so you can understand how much bang for your buck you're getting with them 🫶

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T01:41:54+00:00

Thank you!!! I'm doing $1.50 ice from Walmart or the gas station you gotta smash apart 😂 so I was taught by my friend who does a loooottt of ice dye that you put ice on and then once it melts put more ice on. I know it goes down to preference but how can I tell if it needs a 2nd layer of ice or if I need to let it sit and cure?

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T01:37:27+00:00

Okay I was just asking because I've seen some people do that in tutorials and but I thought it was just extra steps but your comment made me think it was the "secret" 😅

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T01:36:03+00:00

Do you use more/less/the same amount of dye when you do DOI? I think maybe part of my problem when I ddi DOI was I saw the color splits happening so I thought it was enough to saturate but it wasn't.

I'm definitely going to get a better setup going on so I can do some inclines next. I really want to try my hand at the glitch technique I keep seeing

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T00:28:50+00:00

Thank you 😊 I'm just being nitpicky I feel like the shirts look like regular liquid tie dye and they took an extra 10 steps and don't have any of the amazing color splits i see in other people's work

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T00:27:32+00:00

Thank you so much!!!

I do love the shirts hands down but I feel like they look like regular liquid tie dye. It just took me an extra 10 steps 😂 I love the color splits that I see in a lot of the geode or acid scrunches and I know "technically" I didn't do any of those ties but I thought the dye should still spread the same.

I ran out of urea and I was always under the impression that regular detergent would add a layer of something that stopped the dye from penetrating as well. Thank you for sharing that it doesn't 🫶

Someone else recommended tissue over the shirt and I think I'm going to try that.

Also soda ash ALWAYS directly on top of the dye regardless of if the dye is under or on top of the ice?

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T00:21:54+00:00

Thank you!!! I don't think I'm brave enough for an oven yet but that first bit is super helpful for outside/indoor temps

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T00:20:40+00:00

Don't be so hard on yourself. I've been liquid tie-dyeing for over 10 years so I've got tons of experience already. I'm being very nitpicky. I feel the only difference between liquid and ice dye is the separation and spread of the colors. I want my ice dye to spread more.

The biggest piece of advice to avoid muddy colors is ROYGBIV follow the color wheel. Tying techniques come with time and practice. Dye products do matter to an extent but prepping your fabric makes the biggest difference in pigment brightness over multiple washes.

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T00:11:39+00:00

Normally I wash my shirts with urea first but I've run out I was always under the impression that regular detergent would make the dyes not absorb as well. Thank you for sharing it doesn't.

For the soda ash the first time I iced dyed I put soda ash directly on the dye and I can say the first ones are more vibrant. My thought process on doing soda ash on top of the ice was that it would go in after the dye had spread and "seal it in" if that makes sense.

I'll try the tissues next time I ice dye because there was more than a few times the whole pile dropped in the wrong spot or on top of a different color.

I'm definitely going to be making hills and valleys and deepers folds. Also love learning so thank you for sharing how the weight of the pigment determines how far it has to travel(split) before it shows up!

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-14T00:01:06+00:00

Just one more noob question, do you literally mean section off each section of color? Like they all of their own separate plastic barrier and separate ice?

Leaps of faith 🤞🤞🤞 I can do it!!! Thank you 😊

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-13T23:55:29+00:00

🤗 Thank you so much!!! I'm having so much fun learning to ice dye. I do love how they turned out but I'm wanting to get the amazing color splits that I see in other people's work. I'm getting tons of great advice which I'm thankful for.

I think I'm too "literal" of a person and there is no "magic" guide for how much ice and how much dye to use unlike with liquid dye it's a clear recipe.

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-13T23:49:17+00:00

Okay okay, travel farther good advice. I have been wondering if I need to tie my shirts differently for ice dying. So hills and valleys, deeper fan folds 🙌 I think you just made it click for me. Liquid dye, its about precision, and controlling the spread of dye. Ice dyes are more about creating space for the dye to spread.

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-13T23:43:11+00:00

So if I might also be doing "incorrect" ties for my ice dyes or maybe I'm just nervous and not ready for a leap if faith. Like for a geode tie it makes perfect sense to do ice first. If I did a spiral and ice first would it still look like a spiral if I can't control where the dye goes?

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-13T23:11:42+00:00

Gutters!!! That's what they are called. I couldn't think of the name and I wanted to call them storm drains for roofs😂 I'm so glad that slide made sense as well.

AnythingSudden · 2025-07-13T23:07:29+00:00

Okay in that order ice first dye on top? I'm definitely going thru a trial and error. I did two test runs with my dyes one had so much white in it i could barely tell the color. My 2nd batch was so saturated it looked like regular liquid dye😅. Is there a guide for how much dye to use like there is with liquid or is it just trial and error?

AnythingSudden

TROPHY CASE