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Corky Lorenz is a photographer who documents local life in Elkhart, Indiana. See events, people, and process notes. Corky Lorenz A photographer documenting creative work in Elkhart, Indiana. Textiles Browse tutorials for sewing and tie dye . Color play Dye a simple orange sweatshirt. Events See large events like the Marshall County Blueberry Fest , or smaller events like the Urban Artisan Market .

An overview on what it is and how to use soda ash for tie dye and ice dye. Soda ash Soda ash is a chemical used in tie dye to prepare fabric so fiber reactive dye bonds permanently and does not fade. What is soda ash? Soda ash is sodium carbonate. It is a white powder that makes water more alkaline. What is soda ash used for? In tie dye, soda ash is used to prep fabric so fiber reactive dye bonds to the fabric and does not wash out. 1 cup of soda ash dissolved in 1 gallon of water is the ratio often recommended. Here's a short video for mixing soda ash into water. Outside of tie dye, soda ash is also used to raise the pH in swimming pools so the water stays clear and balanced. Where to buy soda ash Soda ash is commonly sold at pool supply stores because it is used for pool maintenance. It can also be purchased online from dye suppliers, craft stores, or general online retailers. Some people choose to make soda ash at home instead of buying it. Is baking soda the same as soda ash? No. Baking soda and soda ash are not the same thing. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Soda ash is sodium carbonate. Baking soda can be turned into soda ash by heating it, but they start as different chemicals. How to make soda ash Soda ash can be made from baking soda by heating it in an oven. Spread baking soda in a thin layer on a baking sheet and bake it at 400°F for about one hour. After it cools, the baking soda will have changed into soda ash.

Where to park, hours, ticket prices, RV museum exhibits, and photo guides for visiting the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana. RV Hall of Fame in Elkhart, IN A guide for the RV Hall of Fame in Elkhart IN, including parking directions, ticket info, exhibits, and photo-based walkthroughs for visitors. The entrance in located at the back of The Northern Indiana Event Center building. Hours & Address Summer hours (April 1 – October 31): • Monday–Saturday: 9 AM – 5 PM • Sunday: 10 AM – 3 PM Winter hours (November 1 – March 31): • Monday–Saturday: 10 AM – 4 PM • Wednesday: Closed • Sunday: 10 AM – 3 PM Phone number: (574) 293-2344 Address: 21565 Executive Pkwy, Elkhart IN 46514 Entrance When you have made it to the correct entrance, you will see sinage on the front of the building that reads "RV/MH Hall of Fame" and "RV & MH Museums." The building that reads Northern Indiana Event Center is the wrong entrance to visit the Hall of Fame. Drive around the left side of the building to get to the correct door. Check in & bathrooms This is what the lobby looks like, with the front check in desk on the right, and the exhibit entrances to the left. You can hit the bathrooms by the front desk if you need to. Upper level If the gift shop, you can find the stairs to see the 2nd floor. In the upper floor, you can view all of the RVs from above or visit the library.

The Tinley Park Reptile Expo is a twice-yearly NARBC event held at the Tinley Park Convention Center in Illinois. See show dates, hours, and visitor photos from the fall 2025 expo, plus details for the upcoming spring 2026 event. Tinley Park Reptile Expo A large 2 day Reptile expo that happens twice a year at the Tinley Park Convention Center. See dates and photos below. Dates NARBC Tinley Park Reptile Expo 2026 is planned for March 14th and 15th. Location This is a 2 day event that usually happens twice a year at the Tinley Park Convention Center. Address 18451 Convention Center Dr, Tinley Park, IL 60477 Photo use Vendors are welcome to download and use images of their displays. Oct 2025 vendor, reptile, and guest images are posted below. See details for the Spring 2026 event here . NARBC 2025 Articles from the fall 2025 reptiles expo. Bullfrog Sundown Hold it Bring a friend Animals Josh’s Frogs Plants John Chausmer Rare plants Crosstown

The process of dyeing a vibrant orange sweatshirt with subtle variation. Tools and supplies suggested. Orange tie dye sweatshirt Dyeing a crewneck sweatshirt in a bin with 3 fiber reactive dye colors. Process Presoaked in soda ash water, and then hand wrung before placing in the dye bin. Colors Peach: 3 tablespoons Golden Yellow: 1 tablespoon Soft orange: 1 tablespoon Dye from Dharma Trading Co. Batched on a heating mat for about 4 hours to speed up the colors setting. Video You can see the youtube video for this orange sweatshirt here. Corky Lorenz February 1, 2026

The blanks I have used for tie dye, and what I recommend them for. Blanks for tie dye A list of shirts, sweatshirts, dresses, and clothing that I have used for tie dye, and my thoughts on them. Crewneck sweatshirts 90/10 These are solid for consistent quality. They dye very nicely for flowy ice dye. Not great for geodes if you want clean white lines. I have gotten them from Jiffy and Amazon without issue. Gildan G-500 Unisex Heavy Cotton Quality can vary. Most of the time they are soft and dye without any issue. Sometimes, there will be white splotches where the dye doesn't bond to the fabric. They are great for testing colors quickly. In my experience, the quality is usually better if purchased NOT from Amazon. LAT 3519 - Women's Hi-Lo Tee I loved the fit of this shirt but the hems are often wonky. They are finished with a blind stitch and if the tension is off, the hem will pucker. If that doesn't bother you, these are a very nice option. The neck line is nice. I'm not an affiliate for Jiffy, just using their site as a reference. I will be back with more blanks to add to the list, soon! :D Corky Lorenz January 31, 2026

Get those crispy lines, and smooth colors. Geology inspired dyed garments. This is a tie dye technique that uses artificial sinew to create crisp lines and bands of color. Geode tie pairs wells with ice dye. Geode Tie Dye To see examples of what other people are making, here's the facebook group. How to use soda ash . This is a step in the process of tie dye that you can't skip. When dyeing natural fiber fabrics, with MX procion dyes, you have to use soda ash. When dyeing geodes, most people will tie the shirt, and then soak it in soda ash solution, before applying dye. You can find most of this info in my videos and website, but if you want a PDF to download to read in one place, you can purchase it below . Tying geodes with sinew If you are drawn to the look of the geode style because of the lines, you'll need to use a thick waxy thread called "artificial sinew." Some people have success using rubber bands or zip ties, but I ran into more problems with those alternatives. The goal is to wrap the sinew around a bunch of fabric, and then pull it really tight. You don't need to actually tie any knots. The thread locks down on itself once it's pulled tight. Just wrap 4-5 times, pull tight, then move on to the next bunch. You also don't need to cut the sinew between bunches. Geode tie dye tutorial $5 - process photos - color suggestions - PDF download - written before AI :D

Tie dye supplies The main supplies you need to get started with tie dye are powered dye, soda ash, gloves and a cotton shirt. Essentials - procion dye - soda ash - gloves - mask - paper towels or rag - bins Optional - dye bottles - rubber bands - artificial sinew - measuring spoons

Connect the RV air conditioner to a dedicated circuit and match the active, neutral, and ground wires securely. Tighten connections to prevent short circuits or fire hazards. How do you connect power to an RV air conditioner? Connect the RV air conditioner to a dedicated power circuit that can be shut off and meets local wiring codes. Inside the RV, locate the power cord and connect the active, neutral, and ground wires securely to prevent loose connections or shorts. Electrical Connections (non-ducted) The installer is responsible for following all local wiring regulations when connecting the air conditioner to the main power supply. The unit must be connected to a dedicated circuit that can be isolated and has sufficient electrical capacity for safe operation. From inside the RV, look upward to locate the air conditioner’s power cord. Connect the external power lines, making sure to match the active, neutral, and ground terminals correctly. The A3501 and A3800 models do not include a terminal block, while other models use a 3-pole terminal block as shown in the diagram. Once all connections are made, tighten the screws firmly to eliminate loose wiring.Improper or unsecured connections can cause overheating, short circuits, or fire. For the ducted power connection version, see instructions here. Corky Lorenz November 6, 2025

Learn how to get intense, saturated color in tie dye by using concentrated dyes and controlled application methods. Includes a real example with orange and yellow gradients for maximum brightness. How do you get really bright color with tie dye? The most important elements of bright tie dye color are: using natural fiber shirts, presoaking in soda ash, using enough dye, and letting it fully set. I love vibrant color, and recently I have experimented with simple dye application methods that prioritized color saturation. In that experiment, I used concentrated orange and yellow dye colors to deeply saturate a shirt with a really simple gradient design, in a plastic bin. The bin snuggly fit around the shirt and the amount of liquid didn’t go much over the top of the shirt. I let it sit for about 24 hours. It was pre-soaked in soda ash solution before applying dye. When I first posted about it, some people were annoyed, thinking I was trying to claim the most basic methods as my own. What I think is actually happening, is we forget the simple basics in pursuit of more complicated and complex designs. We are spending hours doing intricate folds and tie work, and forget that just having a really bright orange shirt can be delightful. My return to something considered fundamental and basic is only meant to bring your attention back to an easy way to get vibrant color. It doesn’t need to be complex or time consuming to be breathtaking. Whenever I go out in one of these bin style gradient shirts, people always comment on how nice the color is. I probably get more comments on simple bin dyes than I do on geode style shirts. Corky Lorenz October 8, 2025