It is officially summer, which means...tie dye season! Yesterday, my friend brought over her Ergo and wanted to try an ice dye over its original color. It is a maroon Ergo with tan-colored inner and hood with little butterflies and bugs printed on the material. She wanted to liven it up a little, so she bought a few packets of Dylon and Tulip dyes from Joann. She also brought along her two boys (one aged 4 and the other only a few months old), so I brought out my last Tulip Tie-Dye kit that I bought on sale from Tuesday Morning, and we let the boys have fun tie-dyeing my dish towels (upcycled flat diapers and flour sack towels) and some white onesies. First, the Ergo was set up for an ice dye. I soaked it in a soda ash solution (1 cup of washing soda and filled a canning pot with enough water to immerse the Ergo). The BEFORE (Google image): Next, we put it in a plastic basket from Dollar Tree and suspended it on my drying rack, with a drip pan underneath. We covered the carrier with crushed ice and my friend sprinkled her dyes over the ice in random patterns. It was in the sun, so the ice melted fairly quickly. Some of the dye started drying out, so I added more ice. Halfway through, I discovered the infant insert and threw it underneath, in the drip pan (after I emptied it). As the ice melted, we helped the boys with some tie dyeing projects. We did a spiral and some other random folds. When they were done drying, I thought it would be more fun (and a little quicker) to rinse them off with the garden hose. It was so much fun! We all got drenched, which was great because it was one of the hottest days we have had so far this summer. As you can see, they turned out GREAT! Now, the Ergo had to stay here and sit for another 20 hours or so. Meanwhile, we mixed the dye for a wrap that I've been itching to dye for weeks. You can see the full tutorial and finished result here. The Ergo sat in the stand, melting and drying overnight. The next day after I got home from work, I immediately took it inside and rinsed it off. This is it when it was still wet (it lightened up a bit when it dried): Completely dried (with my baby girl's little foot): My friend says she wants to try a discharge technique to draw on some stars and swirls, which I think will look great! I also kind of think it looks a bit like a "zombie apocalypse" Ergo, which is right up her alley. ;)
We had a great day and the kids had a blast. I definitely recommend trying a tie dye party for your next playdate! Grab all the white cotton items you can find around the house, or maybe pick up some white tees at a thrift store and give them a makeover. My son loves wearing the t-shirt he tie-dyed last week all on his own. I think even just the fact that he gets to wear gloves is exciting enough for him! If you homeschool and/or do your own preschool activities with other families in your area, this could be a great learning opportunity. My son loves to watch the colors mix and we talk about the color wheel, and when he has friends over they have to share the bottles, follow directions and listen carefully, and then they get wet! It's a perfect summer school/play day. Have you ever hosted a tie-dye party? Share your experiences and creations below!
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Meet & GreetHi! My name is Astrid and I am an unschooling, working mama of 3 with an intense need to design, craft and create. Follow me for ideas, tutorials, DIY projects, homeschooling resources and more. Archives
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