Tea/coffee stain directions/tips

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Brokennock

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I just bought a shirt and a wrap around caped frock from One Blanket Traders, VERY happy with both. I would like to darken/mute the frock's whitish color, without joining the walnut brigade. In the past, on other projects, I have had little to no luck with tea or coffee staining cloth. Either the color just washed out, or, when leaving a white bandana in the coffee for a longer time, mold developed.
Does anyone have clear, concise, step by step directions?

Also, I am buying a second shirt from same, this one to be black and white check, for the purpose of dying the white checks hunter orange, where can I get a true hunter orange dye?

Thanks.
 
Brokennock said:
I just bought a shirt and a wrap around caped frock from One Blanket Traders, VERY happy with both. I would like to darken/mute the frock's whitish color, without joining the walnut brigade. In the past, on other projects, I have had little to no luck with tea or coffee staining cloth. Either the color just washed out, or, when leaving a white bandana in the coffee for a longer time, mold developed.
Does anyone have clear, concise, step by step directions?

Also, I am buying a second shirt from same, this one to be black and white check, for the purpose of dying the white checks hunter orange, where can I get a true hunter orange dye?

Thanks.
Coffee and tea require mordants and don't really give a dark color on cotton. Fabric dye is your best bet.

Blaze orange is difficult - look for suppliers of Dyes used for tie-dye. https://www.dharmatrading.com/dyes/all-fabric-dyes-from-dharma-trading-co.html?lnav=dyes.html

Your best bet for Blaze orange is buying material from the store already dyed.
 
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Like walnut or pecan shell dying, the cloth should be boiled in the liquid. Times vary but be sure to wash it normally a couple times to gt out sizing. Some is there even in undyed white material. I let it go about a half hour to an hour and checked it at about 5 minute intervals. Pecan shell gave a better color...all our walnut trees went to France in the 1870's! :wink: :haha:
 
Here's a good place to ask about Hunter orange.
http://www.yarnbarn-ks.com/Dyes/products/44/

They advised me on mixing their dyes to get the right results. They could probably tell you how to get the exact shade of brown you are looking for. I think all their dyes are cold water dyes. You will not want to do them in the sink or tub unless it needs to change color, too.
 
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Although coffee will do a better job of staining the material than tea will, you must get your wife involved to make the stain last.

She must believe the garment is truly valuable in its present condition. This is very important.

After she knows in her mind the hidden value of the item she must say in a very loud voice,

'IF YOU GET ONE SPOT OF COFFEE ON THAT, YOU'LL RUE THE DAY IT HAPPENED BECAUSE I'LL PERSONALLY POUND KNOTS ON YOUR HEAD WITH MY CAST IRON FRYING PAN!!!

After this has been said, mix up a good strong pot of coffee and dump a teaspoon of alum into the pot to activate the curse. Then toss in the garment into it and boil it for at least 15 minutes.

Once this is done, nothing you can do will get the stain out.

:rotf:
 
The problem with tea or coffee is that it is a stain, and not a dye. It takes up differently into the fiber, and it will either wash out or fade out quickly. If you don't want to use walnut, then consider one of the procion/fiber reactive dyes. It wont be a "natural" dye, but it will give you the effect your looking for.

https://www.dharmatrading.com/dyes/dharma-fiber-reactive-procion-dyes.html?lnav=dyes.html

Theres a few on that link that are close to hunter orange.
 
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Yeah I'd say mix the gray from the link that Tallswife gave you at half strength.

Another dye is from the leaves of the staghorn sumac that will give you a dull or gray dye.

Iron oxide and vinegar in hot water..., yes diluted "vigaroon"..., will make walnut, butternut, and pecan dye "sadder" (duller) and will dull up the white of canvas in many cases. It's a mordant so should stick to the fibers well.

Copper II Sulfate, aka copperas/green vitriol, ferrous sulfate is another mordant known since medieval times that will dull up white cloth or wool and gives a faint 'green' tinge to it.


LD
 
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