tea dying? Anyone try it?
#11
I needed a fabric that looked like wood, but the only one I could find at the time was way to light. So I tea-dyed it. I boiled a couple of tea bags, then put the fabric in and let it soak for an hour or so. Then I rinsed it well and ironed it dry. The color came out perfectly for what I had in mind.
#12
Okay - I'll do it. I'm going to start with the spray bottle then may put it in a bowl. WHere I've sprayed it should turn out darker, right? I'll post before and after pics when I get it done.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 489
Have tea-dyed fabric several times. Just put it in a large pot of hot water with the tea bags tied up in muslin and let it soak. It will get that mottled look {if you want it} by not aggitating it. Keep bags from touching fabric so you don't get a darker spot on fabric.
#14
Okay - I used the spray bottle and really like how it turned out. The pic has:
The fabric with writing on it is what the LQS clerk thought would work in place of mottled music note fabric I couldn't fine. I agree that the IDEA is the same, but I WANTED MUSIC NOTES. (I'm a piano teacher and this is going to be a wall hanging above my piano.) On top of the writing fabric is the white/black music note I sprayed with tea. THe white/black next to it is the original too-white music fabric. I think this will work just fine.
The larger block with writing on it was white/black. I have 4 blocks with writing that will be the focus of the wall hanging.
Thanks for all your help!
The fabric with writing on it is what the LQS clerk thought would work in place of mottled music note fabric I couldn't fine. I agree that the IDEA is the same, but I WANTED MUSIC NOTES. (I'm a piano teacher and this is going to be a wall hanging above my piano.) On top of the writing fabric is the white/black music note I sprayed with tea. THe white/black next to it is the original too-white music fabric. I think this will work just fine.
The larger block with writing on it was white/black. I have 4 blocks with writing that will be the focus of the wall hanging.
Thanks for all your help!
#17
Since this is for a wall hanging there's much less to be concerned about than if for something that would be washed more often. I am ironing a lot, but .. don't know that it matters.
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 682
Looks like you solvled your problem. I like the final effect much better. Just a few comments for future dyers. I had a picket fence made of white striped fabric to put in a quilt and it was too bright so I wanted to tea dye it. I tried small pieces in steeped tea, instant tea, regular instant coffee and and decafinated coffee. Each one gave a differend tint. I also used some onion skins boiled in water. That gave kind of a peach color. So try a scrap of your fabric to see what you like.
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