The other night I turned my hand to coffee dying some fabric using the instructions found on the back of Heartstring Primitives Charts.
I used some odd bits of 36 count Edinburgh white linen and also a scrap of stitching I had done to see how it would look to dye after stitching. I tried using instant and ground coffee and did a weaker solution for a small scrap to see the difference. Actually, the ground coffee I used was a rather special Chocolate Truffle flavoured one from Whittards. I noticed no difference between the instant and the ground coffee to be honest. I then put the linen in the oven to dry off a bit and these are the results:
These were taken in the evening:
These were the same pieces taken in the daytime:
I then had a piece of cream coloured 28 count Brittney which I thought I could dye and see what happens. This piece took a bit of battering. I burned it a bit int he oven as I couldn't get it to lay all flat and wherever you get lines or folds then these places will darken. This can be a good thing if you want these marks but I wanted something more subtle. So I washed out the burned bits and dipped scrunched up areas into a darker coffee solution and put back in oven but then that wasn't quite right so I washed it out a bit again and tried ironing it dry. Iron too hot and caused burn marks as it began to cook the coffee. Washed it again etc you get the picture. Eventually hung it up to dry and this is the final outcome:
As you can see - a more subtle result. So I was a happy chappie and set about having a new start on it. This is Ann Taylor by Heartstring Primitives. I love my new start and my own hand dyed fabric. Squeeeee!!!!!
Love love love it! I'll definitely be doing this more often. A cheaper alternative methinks.
Also just a quick note about another lovely blogging lady who is going to have a fantastic giveaway as soon as she reaches 300 followers. Julia Crossland is a localish artist to me. Please go and check out her blog and wonderful creations.
Thanks as ever for all the beautiful comments. You really cheer my days - oh you'll never know how much they mean right now. Thank you special peeps. xx
I used some odd bits of 36 count Edinburgh white linen and also a scrap of stitching I had done to see how it would look to dye after stitching. I tried using instant and ground coffee and did a weaker solution for a small scrap to see the difference. Actually, the ground coffee I used was a rather special Chocolate Truffle flavoured one from Whittards. I noticed no difference between the instant and the ground coffee to be honest. I then put the linen in the oven to dry off a bit and these are the results:
These were taken in the evening:
These were the same pieces taken in the daytime:
I then had a piece of cream coloured 28 count Brittney which I thought I could dye and see what happens. This piece took a bit of battering. I burned it a bit int he oven as I couldn't get it to lay all flat and wherever you get lines or folds then these places will darken. This can be a good thing if you want these marks but I wanted something more subtle. So I washed out the burned bits and dipped scrunched up areas into a darker coffee solution and put back in oven but then that wasn't quite right so I washed it out a bit again and tried ironing it dry. Iron too hot and caused burn marks as it began to cook the coffee. Washed it again etc you get the picture. Eventually hung it up to dry and this is the final outcome:
As you can see - a more subtle result. So I was a happy chappie and set about having a new start on it. This is Ann Taylor by Heartstring Primitives. I love my new start and my own hand dyed fabric. Squeeeee!!!!!
Love love love it! I'll definitely be doing this more often. A cheaper alternative methinks.
Also just a quick note about another lovely blogging lady who is going to have a fantastic giveaway as soon as she reaches 300 followers. Julia Crossland is a localish artist to me. Please go and check out her blog and wonderful creations.
Thanks as ever for all the beautiful comments. You really cheer my days - oh you'll never know how much they mean right now. Thank you special peeps. xx
37 comments:
Lots of experimenting Hazel but it looks worth it in the end.
I tried my hand at it last month for a Halloween stitch but I am such a coffee addict the smell whilst I stitched it drove me insane that I was almost licking the fabric as I sewed on it!!!
Look forward to the finished stitch xxx
Love your stitching Hazel and deliberate coffee staining/ dying which makes it look old. I did this with a mat for a cross stitch picture that was too white and dabbbed it with a tea bag until I got the right effect. This was a lot of work but worth your experimenting with - you will just get better at it.
Ah Hazel, you remembered!! That was very nice of you to mention me - but most importantly I have to say, is how completely delicious your hand dyed fabric is!! Oh if only I had more hours in a day, the things I would get up to (trying this would probably be one of them). Have you ever visited Love Stitching Red's blog? She is a textile artist who dabbles with all manner of dyes and the like from nature, and as I read your post I thought of her work and thought I would mention it to you!
I hope you are all well at your end and getting back to normal, thanks for popping by today.
Sending love
Julia x x x
The fabric looks great Hazel - I must have a go at this but I think the coffee smell would drive me mad too. Perhaps I'll do tea dyeing!
Congrats on your dying experience!! I started doing this a year or so ago and love it!
The fabric is just the right color for the piece you are stitching! Great that the process was forgiving enough to let you keep changing til you got it right and managed to lighten up the dark places.
Congratulations on your dying experience. Your stitching on it is lovely.
I love the new start! the colours look really good against your hand dyed fabric :-)
Good for you for having a go!
Oh, you're brave! lol! I love the results of your hand dyeing! And your new start -- gorgeous!!!! Definitely cheaper if you do it yourself. I'm just not brave enough. :D YGG!
Love the dyed linen and the new start is fabulous, it looks great.
Off to check out julia's blog
tata
I tried the home dyeing too. I felt the oven method was not for me. I coffee dye my linen then hang to dry. Gives it a better color and does brown it like the oven. I loved Julia Blog!
A lot of trial and error but they came out looking great in the end. I should really try it out... If I can get up the courage to do so, that is.
Great results! I have some fabric that I bought online and the color was not what I expected. I need to do a little trial home dyeing and see if I can get something more to my liking.
Your experience sounds a lot like mine I had a few years ago coffee dying the fabric for Villa Mirabillia.
Your photos of the process are very good. I especially love that last one with the stitching. Makes me want to pull out my cross stitch.
Well done on the dying the fabrics, they sure looks great.
Beautiful stitching.
Your coffee dying worked really well, the fabric looks positively antique!
Love the new start too
This looks fantastic, Hazel! I had a little try at coffee dying linen myself a few years ago - I do love the 'antique sampler' effect it produces, it gives cross stitch another creative dimension. One of the charts I had from the US also had instructions for making little holes in the sampler to look worn through, but I didn't dare go that far! Helen x
Super duper! another thing you can do, the new start looks great on your 'hazels handdyed' fabby!
Not tried oven baking it, but love experimenting with natural colours as well as the dyes
I love your hand dyed fabric! I've never tried it before but your results are fantastic. Your new start looks great on it too and will be all the more special.
Your results are wonderful...been doing it myself for years...very cost effective, that's why I do it :)
I think you really achieved that antiquey look that you were aiming for, Hazel. Great job! Your new start is lovely--can't wait to see more :)
Hi Hazel,
I never heard of coffee-dying before. The result is amazing. The fabric in the store is usually to white, and if you can find a different colour it never has an 'old look' about it. This is absolutely something to remember if I ever will embroider again. Thank you for sharing.
groetjes, Dorien
The new start looks lovely Hazel especially on your dyed fabbie
Tina x
beautiful Hazel! I too have dyed fabric from time to time. I love the look of it.
My husband's cousin is an artist in England. She lives in Merseyside Birkenhead, Higher Tramere..not sure if that is near you?
She is wonderful!
Have a wonderful day,
Louise xx
Beautiful results, Hazel! I think coffee or tea dyed is my favorite neutral fabric to use.
Your fabric dyeing is great. Sometimes I use tan Rit dye...just be careful, there's no going back.
Well done on your coffee dying! I'd love to try that but am a scaredy cat lol, maybe one day soon.
Congrats on your new start also.
Just gorgeous dying, new start, and blog theme, Hazel! :)
Love the fabric and stitching!
I tried dying sometimes, but only before I used it, I'm not that much of an experimenting person...
But it looks great!
Hello Hazel! I just found your blog, it`s lovely! I see you are styitching Mary Wigham...i`m off for a peek!
Hi Hazel, I didn't know this method for dyeing fabrics - and it looks great !!! Thanks so much for sharing it.
So beautiful stitching !!!
Thanks,
Monica
Love your fabrci Hazel. You did a great job of it. I usually end up with darker bits too where I've ahd to fold it and I've also burnt bits too when I leave it in too long lol.
I LOVE your new start! It looks so pretty. Gorgeous colours.
{{{hugs}}}
Great fabric dyeing Hazel!! I love your new start!! Can't wait to see more! :)
Ooooh, I just got Ann Taylor in the post! I will look forward to seeing your progress!
Love how your coffee dye adventures turned out!
Great results! I love your hand dyed fabric!
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