To stain with coffee or tea

 So today, we are going to show you the difference between tea staining and coffee staining, and how its done. The supplies you are going to need are whatever fabric you want to stain, water, coffee or tea, (instant works great) and some containers for staining.  You can stain any fabric you like cotton, furs, Warm and Natural, you get the idea.  Let's say you are making a doll dress, and the colors seem too 'bright'-just tone them down by staining them.  Ok, so you choose which you want, tea or coffee, for staining, and use equal parts of them together.  Water 1/2 c+ coffee 1/2c or Water 1/2c. + 1/2c tea.

 For our demonstration, we used 4 pieces of muslin, it is all the same kind and about equal pieces.

 I like to begin the staining, but wetting the fabrics in water, first.

 Then ring them out. Do you see the one on the top right looks like a bird?

 I like to heat the water and tea or coffee together in the microwave, stir this real good, and then add your fabric, and wait.  Maybe this would be a good time to get YOU some coffee or tea. Let this soak for about 10 minutes.  You can soak it longer but it really doesn't change the color much. Ring it out and place it on a cooking sheet.

 Then you have several options from here, you can place your fabric in the oven or put it in the sun.  If you put it in the oven  BE CAREFUL! You will want to have it on a low setting and really watch this.  If you put it in the sun, you can put it out to dry in the sun.

Here is what the fabric looks like when it has dried.   We soaked the one piece of fabric for 10 minutes and the bottom piece was 20 minutes.  This was true for both the coffee and the tea.  Honestly, I couldn't tell a difference between the ones that were soaked longer.  Tea will always be a lighter color and a little more of an orange tint to it.  While coffee stains darker and is more brownish.  Hope this helps you in your next venture of tea or coffee staining.