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Post by anxiousmom on May 5, 2015 3:05:57 GMT
My favorite summer top of all time has had it. It used to be an adorable white top that over time has become dingy and yellowed. It's 100% cotton that has been washed and dried to the perfect softness.
So I thought I would do a little work on it and one thing that I want to do is tea stain it. I have done it before with new fabrics, and small things like flour sack towels...but they are new and shiny white. Do you think something that has been washed and dried for a couple of years would take the dye the same way? Do you think it would help to disguise some of the dinginess?
Any hints?
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oaksong
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,164 
Location: LA Suburbia
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 6:24:29 GMT
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Post by oaksong on May 5, 2015 3:28:42 GMT
If it's unwearable now, you don't have anything to lose. I tea stained a blouse I made out of muslin and lace years ago. I think it sounds like it will work. Go for it, and let us know how it turns out!
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Post by anonrefugee on May 5, 2015 3:38:35 GMT
I have, and do! Most of my white cotton blouses or read. I look better in a bone, or slightly off white.
I brew a very strong batch of tea, and don't worry about scorching it. Then add salt as a mordant and mix it up.
I like to die things in washing machine so I add tea dye to machine tub, and agitate. Then I add wet garments to tub and agitate the batch until done. I always go for a darker shade than I want, but not too off course.
Have fun. I feel so thrifty after dying...
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Post by zztop11 on May 5, 2015 3:39:42 GMT
I tea stained my white bed skirt years ago. Turned out great.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on May 5, 2015 11:43:02 GMT
And of course, we'll need before-and-after pictures. Please and thank you.
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Post by anxiousmom on May 5, 2015 11:49:02 GMT
Thank you!
I love this top, it is the perfect fit and style to throw on with a pair of denim capris and I wear it ALL THE TIME. But after a couple of years it will never be the pretty white it used to be.
I still want it to be a neutral color, so that's why I was going to with the tea stain, and then I thought since I was going to be messing around with it, I might do some embellishment as well. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Alabama Chanin style and I think I do something similar to her stencil/embellish thing with this shirt.
If it turns out like I think it will, it might actually be kind of interesting.
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blue tulip
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,986
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Post by blue tulip on May 5, 2015 12:11:44 GMT
i dyed a white cotton blend top with lace that I bought at goodwill, so it was plenty old. I used coffee tho. I noticed that the underarm areas took on *slightly* more color than the rest of the shirt, but it was not very noticeable. if I were you I would go for it!
ETA- make yoru mix very very dilute at first, you never know how much color it will soak up, and you probably don't want a dark amber shirt. |
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akathy
What's For Dinner?
Still peaing from Podunk!
Posts: 4,546
Location: North Dakota
Jun 25, 2014 22:56:55 GMT
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Post by akathy on May 5, 2015 13:01:38 GMT
I've only tea stained new fabric but like a pp said, you really have nothing to lose by trying it. I'd go for it  |
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Post by anonrefugee on May 5, 2015 13:52:05 GMT
i dyed a white cotton blend top with lace that I bought at goodwill, so it was plenty old. I used coffee tho. I noticed that the underarm areas took on *slightly* more color than the rest of the shirt, but it was not very noticeable. if I were you I would go for it!
ETA- make yoru mix very very dilute at first, you never know how much color it will soak up, and you probably don't want a dark amber shirt. Good point about going light at first- etter than my advice! And also good comment about coffee. Different teas will yield different color, you might want to look at "colors" before dying. I wasn't familar with Alabama Chanin before this. Thanks for info, I have a jacket that might need embellishment... Project #567 in line, sigh |
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Post by anxiousmom on May 5, 2015 14:00:15 GMT
i dyed a white cotton blend top with lace that I bought at goodwill, so it was plenty old. I used coffee tho. I noticed that the underarm areas took on *slightly* more color than the rest of the shirt, but it was not very noticeable. if I were you I would go for it!
ETA- make yoru mix very very dilute at first, you never know how much color it will soak up, and you probably don't want a dark amber shirt. Good point about going light at first- etter than my advice! And also good comment about coffee. Different teas will yield different color, you might want to look at "colors" before dying. I wasn't familar with Alabama Chanin before this. Thanks for info, I have a jacket that might need embellishment... Project #567 in line, sigh Good reminder about the tea. I am going to want to make sure I have a true black tea-that is the color I am going for...and maybe I will look at coffee, it may be close to the color too! And don't you just love Alabama Chanin? I want pretty much everything I see of hers.  |
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Post by anonrefugee on May 5, 2015 14:06:16 GMT
anxiousmom we have to drive to Tampa this summer. I'm calculating how off course we'll be if I visit the store!
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Post by anxiousmom on May 5, 2015 14:10:19 GMT
anxiousmom we have to drive to Tampa this summer. I'm calculating how off course we'll be if I visit the store! My kid is in school in Louisiana. I fully intend for one of trips out there to detour by her place. It would be like a destination in and of itself.  |
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