How to Tea Dye a White Wedding Veil

Things You'll Need

Tea bags
Large pot
Swatches of test fabric

Tea dying can add a soft sepia color to new fabrics.

Tea dyeing is an old practice of adding a soft yellow or brown color to a fabric by letting it soak in steeped tea. Tea dyeing creates the look of naturally aged fabric and can be used to give even brand-new fabric, lace or netting a vintage or antique look. This light wash of color adds visual interest to any piece and gives a soft, beautiful finish to veils and other bridal accessories.

Step 1

Boil water in the large pot. The pot should be large enough to submerge the veil completely without folding or bunching.

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Step 2

Make sure your pot is large enough for your veil. Excessive bunching and folding could cause the color to stain unevenly.

Add tea bags to the boiling water and let them steep until the tea has reached the color you want for your dyeing project. Remove the tea bags and let the water cool.

Step 3

The number of tea bags you will need depends on how much water you use and how dark you want to color the veil.

Rinse the veil in clear water. This prevents the tea from adhering to the veil unevenly and leaving spots and blotches.

Step 4

Rinsing the veil before and after tea dying prevents uneven color and spots.

Dip the wet veil in the tea, making sure all parts are submerged. Leave the veil in the tea to soak until you achieve the desired color.

Step 5

Remove the veil once it has soaked and rinse in clear water.

Step 6

Hang the veil to air dry. Hang the veil so it is not bunched or folded and allow it to air dry completely.

Tip

Test the tea dye on small swatches of scrap material before dyeing your veil. This will help you determine what concentration of tea to use, how long to let the veil material soak and if it will damage the fabric. Follow the steps listed, making tea of different intensities and leaving the material to soak for varying time periods until you determine how to achieve the color you want. Tea brewed for a shorter time will create lighter dye, and longer brewing times will create a darker color.

Natural fibers absorb tea dye more readily than artificial fibers.

Different types of tea produce different colors and intensities.

If you're looking for a natural, splotchy look, add the tea to the veil with a paintbrush.

Warning

If the color is not intense enough after your first dying, repeat the dyeing process. Repeated dyeing increases the chance of damage to the fabric, so always test before dyeing again.

Tea dyeing cannot be undone. Be very careful and follow instructions when dying irreplaceable pieces.

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