How to Ice Dye Wool Felt: DIY School Spirit Day Projects

by Laura Zeo

Oh, hi! Laura here from FeltLikeaParty! I am delighted to introduce more tutorials this year with a common theme! We are going to level up our felt and create some amazing Spirit Day badges.

What they never tell you about school supply shopping is the need for “Spirit Day” wear. My kids attend an elementary school that has half my calendar scribbled: wear blue, wear glitter, wear something that lights up, wear goldenrod and taupe, become a snowman, wear a handmade Cat in the Hat costume in neon with crazy hair and cowboy boots. And of course, it’s life’s busiest months with 14 Spirit Days in a row. Now, for some, this may not be an issue—maybe your closet is full of every color and a fleece pajama onesie, or your child attends a more relaxed school. But just in case your eldest son is a “BUT I AM SUPPOSED TO WEAR…” type student, we have something to satiate even the most outrageous of School Spirit Days. Plus, I'm introducing a fun new felt-dying technique for you to fall in love with! So, quick, while it’s still warm outside, let’s transform our felt into a colorful festive fabric!

Editor’s Note: Hold on to your scraps, as this tutorial has a follow-up bonus make using our dyed material—felt flowers! Stay tuned to socials @thefeltstore and @feltlikeaparty for a tutorial reel!

Okay, let’s get into it!

Experience Level

  • Beginner

Time to Make

  • 1 hour for the Ice Dye process plus 24 hour dry time
  • ½ to 2 hours per Badge

Ice Dye Supplies

  • Wool Blend Felt in White
  • Wool Blend Felt in Vanilla, Baby Blue, Light Pink (Optional)
  • Powder Fabric Dye (Rit Dye was used for this tutorial)
  • Spoons
  • Scissors
  • Cardboard
  • Gloves
  • Cookie Rack
  • Plastic Bin
  • Bag of Ice
  • Plastic poster board, or a non-porous drying surface
  • Iron

Spirit Day Supplies

  • Ice Dye Felt, dried and ironed
  • Shapes Templates
  • Scissors
  • Disappearing Ink Marker, or Freezer Paper
  • Hot Glue Gun
  • Assorted Findings or Knick-Knacks
  • Rickrack or Ribbon
  • Embellishments such as Letter Beads, Sequins, Beads
  • Embroidery Floss
  • Embroidery Needle
  • Velcro

Optional/Additional Supplies

  • Pinking Shears
  • Rotary Blade
  • Ruler
  • Super Strong Neodymium Magnets
  • Elastic Cord

Downloadable PDF Pattern:
Click here to download

Part One: Ice Dye Process

  1. Pre-cut as much white wool blend felt as you want to dye into varying sizes. No need to pre-shrink or iron. I also experimented on Vanilla, Baby Blue and Light Pink wool blend felt.

  2. Gather supplies and head outside to set up. Place wire racks atop a plastic bin that is suitable for containing dyed water.

  1. Take strips of cardboard and tape them together to form a circular shape in varying sizes. Do not plan on reusing these templates.
  2. Wet the felt thoroughly, wring out moderately, and place atop the wire racks by either scrunching the felt like a crumbled piece of paper, or smushing inside a cardboard ring. Flat felt does not yield exciting outcomes! Depending on space or quantity, you may be dyeing in batches.
  3. Cover the felt heavily in ice, and wearing gloves, use a spoon allocated to each color to generously sprinkle the powder dye atop the ice.
  4. Consider the color wheel. I chose to work with pinks and purples, and then primary colors.
  5. Let the sunshine melt the ice and drip the dye into your felt, the wire rack allowing the dye to fall through, and your container underneath to hold the drips. It is a mesmerizing watch!

  1. Once the ice has completely melted and gloves are on, carefully open and transfer the felt to a non-porous surface to dry. I used plastic poster boards.
Tip: If some areas are too vivid, or have un-melted dye powder on them, you may rinse under cold water. Do not wring out. Leave to dry in a safe place, away from winds and outside debris.

  1. If you want to have a speckled look, sprinkle a very small amount of powder dye atop the wet felt.
  2. Once dry, admire! Then iron on high heat, wool setting.

As this is my first time ice dying, I cannot see a “bad outcome.” Every piece is unique and a delightful surprise. I found red to be most vivid followed by blue, with green to be the most difficult color to perfect. There is a wind factor, carrying color to where you didn’t intend, as well as a slope factor, where even the slightest angle makes colors run in some direction. In the end, I was thrilled and kept going back for another go. I enjoyed putting blue dye on baby blue wool blend felt and red on light pink wool blend felt. It added a cool dimension to a solid color. Vanilla was very similar in results to white, but yielded some of the best yellows and greens. And I had favorites that I loved so much, I needed to hype myself up before cutting into them!


Part Two: School Spirit Day Projects

I have created 5 mini tutorials (and a bonus tutorial) for variations on spirit day badges using our newly dyed felt. The goal was to create something that can be changed out easily for whatever new theme comes your way. Make one or make them all! Just make sure to tag us when you’re done.

Tip: My preferred method of pattern transfer for this specific project is tracing cardstock templates with an air disappearing ink marker. Frixion pens were too sharp and harsh for the felt since it had undergone a dye process. Additionally, it is inadvisable to wet the felt once ironed as the colors may bleed, leave a water mark or otherwise distort. An alternative to a disappearing ink marker, is printing the templates onto freezer paper, cutting them out, and ironing onto the felt, shiny side down. In both these transfer techniques, you choose the specific areas of felt to cut, as the “perfect piece” may be dead center on a sheet. This is no longer a solid-colored sheet of felt but a work of art in itself!

Below, I have added image links to each School Spirit Badge variation if you would like to “Jump to” a specific tutorial.

#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
Bonus!

School Spirit Badges #1: Spirit Day

“Spirit Day” seemed like a cheeky but appropriate ribbon to start with. Since my children’s school colors are blue and white, I leaned into the blue ice dyed felt.

  1. Use the 6 x 1.5-inch Ribbon template and trace with a disappearing ink pen, or iron freezer paper onto your felt.
  2. Use a ruler and rotary blade, or scissors, to cut out the shape.
  3. Cut a thin strip of felt about 5 inches long and .25 inches wide.

  1. Use letter beads to spell out “Spirit Day” and stitch on the thin strip.
  2. Cut off any excess length and using a hot glue gun, glue to the ribbon.
  3. Bedazzle! I gathered a lot of my boy’s art supplies and trinkets for these projects. I liked the idea of covering all the colors with rainbow plastic gems of varying size. Even though they are adhesive, I used hot glue to secure them to the ribbon.

  1. You may use a safety pin to attach any of the badges, however, I find that neodymium magnets are super strong and will not put holes in clothing!

Tip: Be sure to use these small, super strong magnets at your adult discretion. They are an inherent choking hazard.

  1. Glue a magnet to the back of the ribbon and adhere a small piece of felt overtop with hot glue.
  2. Make a backing for the inside of the shirt with a second magnet, ensuring that they are polarized to bond, not repel.

There you go: Spirited!

School Spirit Badges #2: Support Ribbon

”Support Ribbon” is a great way to show solidarity with…anything! In this case, I chose a strip that had all the colors, as not to leave an opportunity for any cause to be left behind.

  1. Using a rotatory blade and ruler or scissors, cut a long strip of felt and square it. My piece was 9 inches long and .75 inches wide.
  2. Twist into shape, aligning the ends.
  3. Where the felt criss crosses, add a neodymium magnet, securing it to the felt on both sides with hot glue. This will also keep the ribbon bonded together in shape.

  1. Flip the ribbon over and place another neodymium magnet on the back to hold for now.
  2. You can opt to add two dots of hot glue to the loop of the top of the ribbon as I did, or leave loose!

  1. Cut a circle of felt slightly larger than the backing magnet. Slide it off the ribbon and hot glue the felt to the magnet, ensuring they are polarized appropriately.

  1. That’s it! Make as many as you want in fabulous colorways, or add embellishments as you like. I support this!

School Spirit Badges #3: Participation Badge

”Participation” kept with a cheeky quip while offering a Gold Star for, well, participation!

  1. Trace two 4x2.75 inch oval template shapes on felt with an air disappearing ink marker (or freezer paper technique) and cut.
  1. Trace the 2-inch Star template on felt with an air disappearing ink marker and cut.
  2. Trace the top rectangle shape from the 2x4 inch Ribbon template on two different felt colors with an air disappearing ink marker. Cut one piece to a 2x3 rectangle shape and another slightly narrower 1.5x3 inch rectangle on the other piece.
  3. Using a hot glue gun, adhere the Star to the center of the Oval.
  4. Thread one end of elastic cord or embroidery floss through the felt. String letter beads to spell “Participation” or a word of your choosing. Thread the other end through the felt on the other side and tie off.

    5. *I chose to add a few couching stitches to keep the word in place against the felt badge.
  1. Align the smaller rectangle piece to the center of the oval. Turn the piece around and glue in place.

    2. *If you used elastic cording, glue 2-3 small strips on the back, one securing the cording knot.
  1. With a rotary blade and ruler, cut 2 long, thin strips of felt, .¼ inch, or about the width of a pencil.
  2. Hot glue a small tab of the strip of felt behind where the Oval and rectangle pieces join and bring the strip forward. Glue a small piece of the felt strip down along the edge of the Oval shape.
  3. Then, add a drop of hot glue to the strip and glue it back creating a little ruffle.
  4. Repeat adding glue to a small strip of felt and lining the edge of the oval. Measure or eyeball the distance of the ruffles.

  1. If/When you run out of your felt strip, start a new strand by glueing an end back on itself, and gluing the ruffle where your last felt strip ended.

  1. Continue this process around the edge of the oval.
  2. Bedazzle! I had Sulky gold metallic floss and DMC E3852 Gold metallic floss. I added straight stitches of the Sulky thread coming from the Star, and using a couching stitch, lined the Star with the DMC metallic floss. I also added a gold star pony bead and some blue rickrack.

  1. Align your second Rectangle shape behind the first and glue into place.
  2. If you are using neodymium magnets, add one to the back of the badge and follow steps 8-9 from “Spirit Day.”
  3. Use your last oval piece to glue to the back of the badge, protecting your stitches.

I'll take my participation trophy now!


School Spirit Badges #4: Mascot Badge

“Soren the Soaring Eagle” is our school mascot and I chose to work with primary colors to match the rickrack I had on hand.

  1. Using the template, trace four circles in descending sizes: one at 3 inches, two at 2.5 inches and one at 2 inches. Cut with pinking shears or scissors.

  1. Hot glue the 3 shapes with the largest Circle on the bottom and smallest on top.
  2. Trace one half of the 6x1.5 inch Ribbon template, making the size 3x1.5 inches. Cut.
  3. Using a rotary blade and ruler or scissors, cut that shape down the center longways.

  1. Align the two smaller ribbon pieces to the circle stack. Turn over and hot glue into place
  2. Bedazzle! I used color-coordinating rickrack to add to the bottom.

  1. For the school’s “Soaring Eagle,” I used my Cricut and the Snapmat feature so I got the color I wanted for the eagle. It is hot glued in place. This is open space for your child’s school mascot, a favorite sport or any finding that suits your fancy!
  2. If you are using neodymium magnets, add it to the back of the badge and follow steps 8-9 from “Spirit Day.”
  3. Use your remaining 3-inch circle and adhere to the back, covering the magnet.

    I am flying high!

School Spirit Badges #5: Customizable Theme Medallion

The medallion badge is a beautiful way to show off your ice dye and make changeable pieces for all the theme days the Home and School Board throws your way!

  1. Trace and cut a 3 inch circle template and 2.5 inch circle template shape on white wool blend felt.
  2. Trace and cut a 3 inch circle template and a 2.5 inch circle template shape on ice dyed felt.
  3. Use a rotary blade and ruler, or scissors to cut 2 long lengths of ice dye felt ½ inch wide.
  4. Cut this length of felt into 2 inch sections. You will need about 24 sections total.

  1. Cut this length of felt into 2 inch sections. You will need about 24 sections total.

  1. On the white 3 inch circle, glue about 12 loops around the edge.
  2. Glue the last 12 loops in between the gaps of the outer row, and more inward to create a full, flowery look.

  1. Glue first the white wool blend felt 2.5-inch circle in the center of the loopy medallion, and then cover that with the 2.5-inch ice dye felt.

  1. Grab some Velcro and add a ¼ of a square, or a small piece to the center of the medallion. Even though the Velcro was adhesive, I secured it in place with hot glue for extra durability.

  1. Use the 1 inch Circle, Heart and Star template shapes and trace and cut as many things as you want! From halving a mirror ball, to a happy face bead to sequins, I tried to cover holidays, colors, seasons and particular Spirit Days that haunt me year after year (flower day, heart day and “Put a bird on it” day.
  2. On any interchangeable piece you make, remember to back it with the opposing small piece of Velcro.

  1. Use your last 3 inch ice dyed circle shape to back the medallion. If you are using neodymium magnets, add one to the back of the badge and follow steps 8-9 from “Spirit Day.”



School Spirit Badges BONUS: Customizable Day Ribbon

”Day” Ribbon was another changeable design with a different flare and a larger space for those changing pieces.

  1. Trace the 3-inch circle template and cut with pinking shears or scissors.
  2. Trace the 6x1.5 inch Ribbon template, but cut short, 4 inches long.
  3. Align the two pieces and hot glue together.
  4. Grab some Velcro and trim to a circle just smaller than 1 inch in diameter and place where desired. I chose to align mine more toward the bottom of the ribbon.
  5. Use the 1.5-inch circle template to trace on the ice dye felt. Cut with pinking shears or scissors.

  1. Bedazzle! I found plastic letters that spelled out “Day” and used an appliqué stitch to place them along the top of the ribbon. Following in trend with the Medallion Badge, I focused on the more difficult spirit days (snowman day, wear Autumn, light up day, neon day) and “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim” David Sedaris appreciation day.
  2. If you are using neodymium magnets, add one to the back of the badge and follow steps 8-9 from “Spirit Day.”

And voila! Swap out your spirit days as you please.



I think this just about covers all the bases!

I hope you find this tutorial as whimsical as it is functional, and that you fell in love with dyeing your felt!

Please remember, hold onto your scrap from this, and all my future tutorials this year for a bonus felt flower reel tutorial. Ice dyed felt makes for some gorgeous florals! And do tag @feltlikeaparty and @the_felt_store with your amazing makes or your most unhinged school spirit day projects: we love seeing your creations.


Happy Crafting!!

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