Want that watercolor, organic geode look on a cozy sweatshirt? In this tutorial, I’ll show you exactly how to tie dye a hoodie using ice dye and a loose geode tie. Hoodies can be trickier than tees (thicker fabric = more dye + more rinsing), but the payoff is gorgeous. This is a perfect DIY hoodie tie dye project for gifts, cozy days, or even selling on Etsy.
Jump to Supplies • Prep (Soda Ash) • Tie the Loose Geode • Set Up & Ice • Best Colors • Batching Time • Rinse & Wash • Results
What You’ll Need for Your Ice Dyed Hoodie
Before we start, here’s your quick checklist:
- Hoodie: at least 80% cotton (pre-washed for best dye uptake) This one is Tultex brand which is my go to.
- Soda ash: 1 cup per gallon of water for soaking
- Sinew (for tying your loose geode nodules)
- Ice (pile it high!)
- Fiber-reactive dyes: Dharma Trading Co. Phoenix Flame, Power Berry, Alchemist
- Gloves
- Large bin or rack over a tub
- Dawn dish soap & Synthrapol (or dye-safe detergent)
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Watch this tutorial in video form!
Prepping Your Hoodie with a Soda Ash Soak
Soak the hoodie in a soda ash solution for at least 20 minutes. I use roughly 1 cup soda ash per gallon of water (I eyeball it). This is essential—soda ash helps dye bond to the fibers so your colors stay bright after washing.
Pro tip: Soda ash makes fabric (and your hands) slippery. Wear gloves so you can keep a good grip on the sinew while you tie.
You can let the hoodie dry after soaking and tie it dry, but I usually tie it damp because… I’m impatient.
Related reading:
How to Ice Dye a Shirt •
What Type of Ice Works Best for Ice Dyeing?
How to Tie a Loose Geode Pattern on a Hoodie
This is where the geode magic happens for that homemade tie dye hoodie look.
- Grab a random section of your damp hoodie and wrap sinew around it 3–5 times, pulling until it cinches.
- Move to another spot and repeat.
- I purposely make my nodules misshapen and a little squampy (it’s a word now!) so they don’t turn into perfect circles. You’ll get jagged, natural geode rings instead of factory-perfect lines.
Repeat across the hoodie until you’re happy with the coverage.
Try next:
Geode Tie Dye (Full Tutorial)
Setting Up for the Ice Dye
Place your tied hoodie in a Tupperware/bin or on a rack over a container. Cover it completely with ice—really pile it on so you can’t see the fabric. As the ice melts, it pulls powdered dye through the folds and creates those signature watercolor blends.
After the ice melts, check the underside. If color hasn’t made it through, add more ice. Sometimes I even flip the hoodie and add more dye + ice for deeper saturation.
Best Dye Colors for an Ice Dyed Hoodie
For this project, I used three favorite Dharma ice dye colors:
- Phoenix Flame — bright yellow that can split into subtle greens
- Power Berry — deep, bold purple
- Alchemist — magical purple-blue that splits beautifully
Sprinkle dye over the ice and let it melt slowly through the hoodie. Watching the colors move and mix is tie dye therapy.
Also helpful:
One-Color Tie Dye (Colors That Split Beautifully) •
Tie Dye Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
How Long to Let Your Ice Dyed Hoodie Batch
Let the ice melt completely, then leave the hoodie to batch at least 24 hours. I usually wait 48 hours for super-saturated color—especially with thick hoodie fabric.
How to Rinse & Wash Your Geode Tie Dye Hoodie
Rinsing hoodies takes some muscle—they’re dense and hold a lot of dye.
- Start with a cold rinse to flush loose dye.
- Switch to hot water; you’ll see more color release.
- Scrub with a little Dawn to lift excess.
- Finish with a hot machine wash. I use Synthrapol because I sell my pieces, but a dye-safe detergent works too.
Deep dives:
How to Tie Dye with Black (Rinse-Out Tips) •
Best Bleach Ratio for Reverse Tie Dye •
Best Fabric Color Remover (Rit vs Jacquard)
The Final Results
Even with a bit of white space left on the bottom (next time I’d flip it and add more Phoenix Flame), this hoodie turned out so cool. The loose geode tie gave it jagged, natural lines, and the colors blended in a way only ice dye can.
Fun fact: I listed this hoodie on my Etsy shop and it sold within a day. If you want one, I have more hoodies in my Etsy store.
Grab My Free Tie Dye Folds Guide
Want more fold ideas? I put together a free ebook with 12 favorite tie dye folds so you can try new patterns on hoodies, shirts, or anything else.
Get your free tie dye folds ebook here
Questions? Let’s Chat
Got questions about how to tie dye a hoodie, which ice dye colors split best, or how to avoid muddy results? Drop them in the comments—I love helping you nail your next piece.
Show me your results! Tag me on Instagram
@storebrandanna.
Happy dyeing! (or Pin this and do it later!)
