using tea as dye

I am using this photo as inspiration for my Thanksgiving outfit.  I pretty much had everything covered (except for the dress) and didn't want to have to buy something new.  I took a look around my closet and found the stark white dress I wore for both of my bridal showers.  It is an adorable dress, but I am not that into white unless I am playing bride for the day, and those days are over by more than two years - I can't believe I have been married for over two years.  I love being a wife.

I did a little research and learned how to dye fabric with tea.  It is an extremely easy way to make something white look antique/off-white.  I used eight regular tea bags and two gallons of hot water.  I let the dress soak for over an hour, shifting every twenty minutes in case the tea settled and the color was darker on the bottom of my bowl.  I squeezed and squeezed and squeezed until all the tea was out, then threw it in the dryer.

I also do not enjoy wearing white because I am always so worried about spilling something on it, or getting it dirty.  Now I don't have to worry.  If I spill a little turkey or white wine, I can throw it back in the tea and make it darker.

It was so easy and now my outfit is complete - and safe from accidents at the dinner table!