Thursday, April 7, 2011

Tea Staining your Fabric~~ Simple and Easy Method


I've gotten many questions about how I stain my Fabric for all my gatherings. So thought I would give you my quick and easy cost affective way of staining.
Buy cheap tea bags put 10 at a time in your drip coffee pot no filter
The Slow drip from the Coffee maker gets more of the color out of your tea bags.
 
Place your fabric in a tote: Use size Tote that will let items lay within 4 inches of the bottom...once the tea has soaked into the Fabric. Do not pack fabric down or over fill your tote your stain will not be very dark.
Don't push Fabric down till after you have covered them with tea. let them be fluffy like so when you pour tea over them it drains down threw the fabric.
Pour first pot of tea over fabric evenly as you can
 
Spread the first tea bags out in bottom of drip bowl so they are flat
Now add 10 more Tea bags over the ones already in the drip bowl. 
 
Brew another pot
Again Pour over fabric evenly as you can
Fill a 2 quart Glass Bowl 3 quarters full of hot water set aside.
Take the first 10 Tea bags out of the drip bowl 
Place them in the bowl of hot water so you get every last drop of color out of them set aside
 
Repeat spreading the second 10 bags flat on bottom of drip bowl and add 10 more new bags
Brew another Pot of Tea.
 
Repeat this as many pots as you need till you have covered your fabric.
Pour the bowl of tea that has been steeping from all the old bags over your fabric.
Now if need bee you can push the fabric down so it is all covered nicely. you may even want to take the bottom fabric and pull it to the top.
Then let the tote sit over night.
 
The next day pour your tea off the fabric and let it drain.
I usually put it all in the sink and let it drain.
I do not wring my fabric out I think that takes away from the deep and darker stain for some reason.
 
I hang my fabric on the line to dry or you can hang it on a rack dryer
When I use the rack dryer I put an old towel or an old sheet that I can use for hand towels in the bottom of the tub.
I sit the rack dryer on the towel or sheet and then hang my fabric on it letting it drip onto the old towel or sheet.
When they are nearly dry you can throw them in the dryer to set the stain.
 
 You can also use this same method with Wood Spoons. No need to save old bags for woodware.
Generally it only take two pots no added water from used bags to do a baking pan full of wooden ware items. 
I lay my wood item in a dish drainer to drain and dry it usually takes 24 hours for them to dry threw.
 
I hope this was helpful for everyone...
Have a great evening...
 
Blessings
Tonya

7 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing this method with us! Great idea and will be trying it soon! Take Care and God Bless! Donna

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  2. I'm glad you gave us the recipe, I was wondering why my method turned out too light.
    Thanks, I think I will try yours. I just bought some muslin that needs tea stained.
    Tamera
    Country at heart

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  3. Sounds like a great way to do it Tonya, thanks for sharing with us:)

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  4. Thanks Tonya for sharing this method. I noticed you don't put the fabric in the oven to bake. I do that with my coffee stained fabric. I will try your method with the tea and see how it compares. Blessings
    Connie

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  5. Many people bake after staining. I tried that once and felt that it was a waste of time for me. when I hung it and let my fabric dry without sringing it out or smoothing the fabric I get great stain marks that are set. Tossing them in the dryer for 10 minutes on high heat is just as good for me as putting them in the oven. A lot of the time I don't even put them in the dryer if I'm happy with the color. I tea stain so many sheets, hand towels and etc it would take me hours to bake them in the oven. that's why I said this was the quick and easy method.
    You can do this same method with Coffee but I like Tea color better. That is just me personally..

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  6. I will have to pick up some tea bags at the $ tree and try that..I have always used coffee and added vanilla and spices. Does the tea make them have a prim smell and do you ever add other things in with the tea you soak them in.
    Thanks for sharing Tonya :)

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I'm so Blessed that you stopped by & shared your thoughts with me today! Reading your comments always makes me Smile!