There are probably a hundred different variations on the methods to stain and age fabric, and everyone seems to have a favorite technique. It will probably take some experimenting to get the exact results you like.

Coffee and tea are the easiest to use, however they will fade if the piece is washed after it is stained. If you are staining a piece that will be laundered, such as a pillow cover or placemats, your best bet is to use Rit tan dye, following their package directions.

Coffee and tea leave slightly different colors on the fabric. Not surprisingly, tea leaves a slightly greenish tone, coffee more golden. Personally, I prefer the look that coffee gives. Some people like to add a few teaspoons of vanilla extract to their stain mixture, as it makes the finished piece smell good.

Most instructions tell you to make a double strength batch of coffee, but I prefer the look that regular strength coffee gives. It's a bit more subtle. I just use whatever is in my coffee pot at the moment.

So, step-by-step, here we go:

Prepare the Fabric. Wash with detergent and dry in a dryer. This removes any sizing or starch and will shrink the material. This step is important because it alters the appearance of the fabric and gives it a softer, more worn look. It also prepares the fabric to accept the stain, and it eliminates shrinkage and distortion after your project is finished.

Apply the Stain. Some people boil the fabric in coffee or tea-I simply put my piece in an appropriate sized bowl and pour coffee over the top until it is saturated. I haven't noticed any difference if the coffee is cold or hot, except I'm more likely to burn my fingers if it's hot. Squeeze out the excess coffee (I like to wring it until it's pretty dry) and let the fabric dry. If the stain is too dark, you can rinse some of the coffee out and try again. Too light? Do it again with stronger coffee.

Dry. It seems the faster it dries, the darker it stains. Therefore, you'll get the darkest stain by laying in on a cookie sheet in the oven at no higher than 250 degrees. Place paper towels under it and wad up the fabric slightly. Watch carefully and rearrange the crumples every 5 - 10 minutes. You will get dark streaks where the fabric is folded. The lightest, most even staining will come from drying in a clothes dryer. (Be sure to wipe out your dryer afterwards, or your dryer might transfer residual coffee stains onto your next batch of clothes.) My idea of perfect comes from laying it over the heat vent in my dining room and leaving it there for several hours. Unfortunately this option is only available in the winter.

Want to fade your fabric? Wet your prepared fabric and put it in a bowl with a mix of 8 parts water to 1 part bleach. Remove when you like the way it looks. Then wash again, and dry. Always test your fabric first because some colors will run and bleed. Never bleach finished stitchery because some thread colors will run; always bleach the fabric and floss separately.

Copyright 2004 Christian Patterns