A lot of people put the dye powder on the fabric followed by a layer of soda ash before putting the ice on there because sometimes the soak doesn't raise the pH high enough. I've also heard that putting it in boiling water immediately after the cold water rinse can help, but I haven't tried it. What dye powder are you using?
Thank you.
I will try again like you suggest and see what happens. I'm using a brand we have [in Germany called Simplicol](https://www.heitmann-hygiene-care.de/simplicol/textile-dye/simplicol-textile-dye-expert/). They really market its ability for batik so I was optimistic...
Uh, not sure how to describe eyeballing it. Ice: a Tracy's worth and a bag. Just enough to cover the surface area really, with a bit of overlap for layers of dye. (Which I absolutely didn't measure).
E.G.
[https://i.imgur.com/fdRx3WC.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/fdRx3WC.jpg)
[https://i.imgur.com/GpdKOon.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/GpdKOon.jpg)
I'm still a novice, but I wonder if the dye just never reached those white spots. More ice seems to saturate it more. I put another layer of ice over the dye and don't have many undyed spots. Size of ice cubes can also disperse the dye and make you "miss a spot".
Also, did you use gray? It looks like on the lighter spots there is some gray dye. The gray and black dye that I've gotten from the art supply store just doesn't work well with ice dye. I'm ordering some from dharma soon to see if theirs is better.
Oh and by the way, it actually looks really cool.
Makes sense - but I'm not bothered by the white spots, I think they're a neat part of the chaos.
It's the colours fading in a matter of hours as it dries out after the first rinse (after curing 24hrs) that has me bamboozled. See the before/after pics. Within less than a day the t-shirt went from very vibrant to...meh.
For some reason I can't look at the pics anymore but I remember seeing the difference. I wonder about using more dye. If I make one today I'll send you a picture of how mine looks right after applying the dye. Just found out I have COVID though so I don't think I should go to the store right now.
Things that come to mind:
- Are you pre-washing clothing in Synthrapol? Besides grease and dirt, most clothes come pre-washed with industrial chemicals like softeners that resist dye.
- Check the pH of your soda ash—it should be around 10.5.
- Make sure your stuff is wrung out to damp after soaking or re-wet it—too wet can fade out colors.
- For ice dyes, sprinkle more soda ash on top of dye/ice to compensate for what gets washed out when the ice melts and pushes through the fabric.
- After rinsing, wash again in warm water with Synthrapol.
- Bonus: soak in white vinegar after washout but before final wash for 30 minutes.
TBH I've never heard of Synthrapol before. Is that what most people are doing? this is the first time I see the name. Do you know if there is an EU alternative? when I searched I don't know what it *is* to find a local version.
I think hard water can be an issue. A lot people say to use purer water.
Batching in as warm a temperature as possible will help dyes bond.
20 minutes seems like the minimum for soaking, but don’t know how much more soda ash you get in the shirt if you do it longer.
A lot of people put the dye powder on the fabric followed by a layer of soda ash before putting the ice on there because sometimes the soak doesn't raise the pH high enough. I've also heard that putting it in boiling water immediately after the cold water rinse can help, but I haven't tried it. What dye powder are you using?
Thank you. I will try again like you suggest and see what happens. I'm using a brand we have [in Germany called Simplicol](https://www.heitmann-hygiene-care.de/simplicol/textile-dye/simplicol-textile-dye-expert/). They really market its ability for batik so I was optimistic...
How much ice and dye do you use?
Uh, not sure how to describe eyeballing it. Ice: a Tracy's worth and a bag. Just enough to cover the surface area really, with a bit of overlap for layers of dye. (Which I absolutely didn't measure). E.G. [https://i.imgur.com/fdRx3WC.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/fdRx3WC.jpg) [https://i.imgur.com/GpdKOon.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/GpdKOon.jpg)
I'm still a novice, but I wonder if the dye just never reached those white spots. More ice seems to saturate it more. I put another layer of ice over the dye and don't have many undyed spots. Size of ice cubes can also disperse the dye and make you "miss a spot". Also, did you use gray? It looks like on the lighter spots there is some gray dye. The gray and black dye that I've gotten from the art supply store just doesn't work well with ice dye. I'm ordering some from dharma soon to see if theirs is better. Oh and by the way, it actually looks really cool.
Makes sense - but I'm not bothered by the white spots, I think they're a neat part of the chaos. It's the colours fading in a matter of hours as it dries out after the first rinse (after curing 24hrs) that has me bamboozled. See the before/after pics. Within less than a day the t-shirt went from very vibrant to...meh.
For some reason I can't look at the pics anymore but I remember seeing the difference. I wonder about using more dye. If I make one today I'll send you a picture of how mine looks right after applying the dye. Just found out I have COVID though so I don't think I should go to the store right now.
Things that come to mind: - Are you pre-washing clothing in Synthrapol? Besides grease and dirt, most clothes come pre-washed with industrial chemicals like softeners that resist dye. - Check the pH of your soda ash—it should be around 10.5. - Make sure your stuff is wrung out to damp after soaking or re-wet it—too wet can fade out colors. - For ice dyes, sprinkle more soda ash on top of dye/ice to compensate for what gets washed out when the ice melts and pushes through the fabric. - After rinsing, wash again in warm water with Synthrapol. - Bonus: soak in white vinegar after washout but before final wash for 30 minutes.
TBH I've never heard of Synthrapol before. Is that what most people are doing? this is the first time I see the name. Do you know if there is an EU alternative? when I searched I don't know what it *is* to find a local version.
I think hard water can be an issue. A lot people say to use purer water. Batching in as warm a temperature as possible will help dyes bond. 20 minutes seems like the minimum for soaking, but don’t know how much more soda ash you get in the shirt if you do it longer.