13.8.13

born to dye


Recently I discovered the magic of tea dying!


These are some antique underthings I dyed with Lipton Black Tea; I'm really enjoying the soft earthy tint they lend these Edwardian slips. Ironically enough, the tea bath gave the pieces a more antiquated look, as the attic-fresh white cottons here really didn't have any patina and looked like they could've been sewn up yesterday. With their new hue, they're also infinitely more wearable; pure white floor-sweeping dresses look more Cult Wife than ethereal on my frame, and I can't seem to master walking successfully with a coffee cup. I also dipped some slips in Celestial Seasonings True Blueberry, but it just gave it a slight greyish cast; next, I'm going to boil up some actual blueberries and give berry dyes a shot. Don't be deterred if DIY/craftsy things aren't your bag (they're not mine; I'm busy and kinda lazy). Tea dying is refreshingly simple and very foolproof. And how fun is it to stir your clothes around in a giant pot on the stove! Here's a little tutorial if you want to try it.





 

8 comments:

  1. This is so cool! And there are a couple of things I have that I've wanted to tea dye for awhile!

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  2. That is so neat and those slips look great with the dying too!

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  3. I love the idea of tea dying! The slips look so beautiful.

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  4. The results are splendid Dakota! I agree about antique whites sometimes looking a bit too new, if they're super-white. Just doesn't look quite right does it? The tea-dye process really brings out the lacy textures. x

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  5. Such immensely pretty results! This post reminds me of when I was little and my paternal grandma and one of my aunts were head-over-heels in love with the farm/country chic style (back before that was really a well established term) and were sewing fabric dolls and stuffed animals in vein with that style, a good many of which involved tea dyed fabric (for the bodies usually).

    ♥ Jessica

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  6. Wow how cool is this love the tea shade!! I will definitely have to try this out thanks for sharing the link ~Heather

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  7. Haha your comment about the cult wife made me lol. This is such a cool idea. Tea has SO MANY uses apart from drinking it. Good luck with the blueberries!

    Mabel
    Life of Mabel

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  8. That looks amazing! Cannot wait to see some of these 'in action' in a future outfit post. I have always been rather scared of dying clothes with tea myself, in case it came out patchy rather than even.
    - Aleksandra

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