coffee dyes for muslin - anyone ever done it?
 

I am looking to dye a bolt of muslin I bought using coffee grounds...how do I contain the grounds or do I just let them invade all the water in the bathtub? (Will it clog the bathtub??? Or the washer when I wash the fabric?)

Any info anyone can give me would be appreciated!!!

Thanks,

Susan in WA/FL
Innova 18" LS
Proud mom of a daughter in the Army

I use roc-lon muslin but i used left over coffee i dont use the grounds

Sounds very interestting; I'll be watching this thread! I've done tea dying, but dying with coffee grounds sounds like it could give the fabric a really interesting pattern.

You brew coffee, pour it into your large container. Then add your fabric. I've never heard of doing it in the bathtub, but I suppose you could. Tea dying is much the same, but you use boiling water and tea in bags or sieves. I couldn't do either of these in my bathtub - it would permanently stain.

The only problem I have had is getting the tea dye (or coffee dye) to remain wash after wash. It just doesn't stay set. I guarantee you, vinegar doesn't do it. I haven't tried it with Retayne.

I think you use the brewed coffee without the coffee grinds.

I think this could be really interesting with the grounds....kind of a mottled look. If you use a strainer to catch the grounds...hmmm...will need to think this thru. I tea dyed for some pillowcase dolls way back in the 90's.

If you are going to use the grounds you probably should use a seperate container so that you can pour them off when the dye bath is complete. If you are just looking for the cofee color I would use the brew and pitch the grounds Or you could spread preapared fabric out on a plastic covered table , smear the coffee grounds around on the fabric and let it dry then either shake them off outside or run it throught the washing machine with synthrapol or some other fixing agent. Good luck!!!!!!!!!

Thank you all so much! I'm in my daughter's apartment so space and options are limited since I'm trying to dye 5 yards of material at a time. And neither of us drink coffee!!! Should be fun to experiment. I'll let you know how everything turns out!

I didn't want to harm my material. I used Rit dye ... I think it was a tea dye color. No bleeding and no harm to the fabric. Kinda easy in fact.

ali

I've never used coffee but I have use tea and it worked great! Good luck!