Refresh Tired White Bed Linens

   Last March when it was still grey and brown outside, waiting for spring to arrive I decided to clean out my studio.  I pulled out the stock pile of fabric to get inspired for future projects. I was originally going to tag fabric with notes of future ideas but I stopped full steam when I came across a vintage monogram bed sheet that had seen better days. The sheet was a tired and grayish white colour. I jumped started the project of refreshing the bed sheet. Why wait? When inspiration hits you must run with it. It took the whole day but it helped boost my spirits and shook away the winter blahs.  I chose to tea dye the sheet using cranberry tea bags. Tea loose or bags for dyeing is best used on natural fibres such as cotton and linen. It is a great natural dye to breathe new life to tired fabrics. I wanted a soft muted pink hue and I thrilled with the outcome!

This is how I did it:

I primed the fabric by boiling it in a large pot with four parts water and one part vinegar for one hour. I let it cool and then I rinsed the sheet.

Next I filled the pot with water (approx 2.5 l) and 13 cranberry tea bags brought it to a boil and steeped until it reached the desired colour and added the sheet. I then turn off the burner and let the fabric soak until I was happy with the colour. Make sure you have submersed the whole fabric/sheet in the water to ensure colour is consistent.

I guess you can use loose leaf but you would need to strain the water before you place your fabric in.

Bottom sheet waiting to be tea dyed-Top sheet cranberry tea dyed

Fitting quite nicely to my vintage style