Tea stain

[twobarrel]

I have some canvas that I want to stain. Will tea staining work? If so,how do you go about it?

[Micanopy]

Gather  bunch of whatever brand of tea bags you like.
add enough water to boil and if need be replace the water if to much boils out.
You want the tea as dark as you can get it. Mash the tea bags while they boil enough to help release all the dye but not enough to bust the bags.
Once the tea is leached out and is almost black turn the boil off and let it stand till it cools down. In another vesel large enough to hold the object you are dying plus several gallons of water, add the tea dye, then slowly add almost hot water to the tea to get the shade you want. A little darker is always better depending on the weight of the canvas. Dampen the canvas and then let it drain until damp but not wet. Then add this to the tea dye. Be very careful to keep the canvas moving and get all folds and wrinkles out of it or it will be tie dyed and have an un even color. Let it stay in the dye until the color sets. You can add a cup of vinegar to the mix to lock in the color. Once the color has set and you are happy with it take it out and rinse it and hang to dry.

An alternative to dying canvas is smoking it much the same way you smoke buckskins. Small fire, BIG smoke.

[twobarrel]

Thanks!

[DEADDAWG]

I have done mine just like Micanopy has said except I use Chineese Black Brick Tea. You can get it at any Oriental food store. Gives a deeper brown color.

[Otter]

All the above work but bein' an Irish lad me choice is Irish Breakfast tea.      It's a very dark leaf.

[Micanopy]

The darker the tea the better the dye!

[dsrtfox1942]

I love using tea to dye items. If you just want an aged look, dunking it in crumbled up is excellent. Like Micanopy said, it gives a tie dye effect which is perfect for aging. I usually do my haversacks and straps like this. Getting a new hunting shirt in the mail today and will be tea dyeing it. I'll take pics before and after for you.

[Micanopy]

 

[dsrtfox1942]

Didn't get it Saturday and with day being Columbus day, I'll have it tomorrow.

[dsrtfox1942]

Finally got around to staining my shirt. When I get a chance to, I;ll take a picture and post it. Unfortunately forgot to take a picture of it before staining.

[sean drake]

I made a fly for my tent I all soyouse it as a diomand fly. I bought a12 x 15 panters cloth. I put it in the tub and ran it full of hot water (my hot water is 160 deg ) I let it set in the tub till it cooled and filled it one more time with hot water moving it every 5 to 10 minets to make sure it got in all the roles and folds took it out side hung it over the kids swing set till dry it is now a 11x 14 tarp ir I dy it know will it shrink any more thanks for any help( can the tea stain be done in cold water)

[dsrtfox1942]

Forgot about this thread. Here is a pic of me in my oneblanket.com longhunter wrap shirt. Terrific shirt btw... It is unbleached muslin or osnaburg, forget which one. But it was still pretty white. I think it turned out pretty good and had a delightful tea smell until my first Rondy now it smells all smokey and brings back good memories.